There’s nothing like having loved ones to celebrate this time of year. Taking cute “candid” photographs, eating excessive, but delicious food and singing obnoxiously loud Christmas carols for the world to hear. The sad truth is that what we perceive as a joyful experience, happens to be a painful and mournful process for others.

There are families that are suffering the loss of a loved one. Or they’re praying for their soldier to come back home, safe and sound. Soldiers who don’t have the opportunity to share these memories we cherish because they’re serving their country. Maybe it’s just a person that comes from a broken family and don’t know what it’s like to make holiday cookies with mom or playing a bunch of games with siblings that make it an all out war.

No one has ever become poor by giving

Anne frank

My heart aches for these people because I may not have it all but I have the one thing I know I could never live without. There have been moments where I’ve felt so alone, yet my family has always been there so I can’t fathom what it would be like to never talk to them again. To hold them and express my unconditional love that has always been reciprocated. To not hear their laughs and frame the memories we make inside my head every time we create them.

They may need to forget for the moment….or a reason to remember.

These are the moments we grab hold of but we’re also given the chance to extend our hands, our homes, and our compassion to those who desperately need the comfort. They may need to forget for the moment….or a reason to remember. There’s always enough room to share what these holidays offer every year. The amount of people that are living in such unfortunate circumstances need what we have and receive daily. If the roles were reversed, you’d want that warm hand extended out to you.