The boy looked at the brightly lit Christmas tree in the window of the neighbor’s house. Slowly, he walked back to the foster home where he lived and slid into the waiting car. The man driving took him to a small house in the country, where an elderly couple opened the door and urged him inside.
As an orphan, the boy was used to being left with strangers in strange houses. The man who had brought him said to the boy, “We’re going to Myrtle Beach for Christmas and we’re just taking our real kids, so you stay here with these people until we get back.”
The door closed, and the young boy was sent to his room in the basement. Christmas came and went.
As the man who was once that boy, Christmas is now my favorite time of year—favorite for all the bright lights and happy faces that make up for all those dark places. Favorite also because God has blessed me beyond all reason.
My hope for you is that—regardless of your own beliefs—my story will encourage you to always move forward in life. Each of us must focus on our future, not be a victim of our past.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a prosperous 2026.
Feel welcome to share my story with your friends, family, and colleagues to encourage them.