INTRODUCTION I wrote most of the following stories as a Christmas gift for my foster parent friends. I hope you enjoy them and I also hope that if you know a foster parent, you will take a minute or so to thank them for a job well done and wish them a Merry Christmas. They provide a tremendous service to children who are often hurting and act as valuable resources for their communities.
Christmas is one of the happiest times of the year, particularly if you are a child. The bright twinkling lights, the colorful decorations, the yummy candies, and the enticing packages beneath the tree create a truly magical time for the young and the young-at-heart. But, strangely enough, this time of the year also brings about many cases of sadness, depression, and suicide. Perhaps all the attention given to the importance of family and sharing the season with those you love creates a false idea in some people's mind that everyone has a family, that none of the members have problems, and all of them love and sacrifice for each other. Unfortunately, this is not true and many children try to figure out why they are different. Needless to say, if you are alone or apart from your family during this time, you can't help but be reminded of this fact every time you turn on the TV, hum a familiar Christmas carol, or browse through the mall. The reminders are all around us and it isn't any wonder that sadness abounds in a time of joy.
All of us are apart from someone we love this Christmas and that knowledge should bind us together. Look around you with understanding this season and particularly observe your foster children. Behind those eyes of happiness could be a glimmer of sadness for the family and friends that they have left behind.
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