Being truthful and from the heart, I will tell you a real story.

Hopefully no one will see this except a few, because I am embarrassed.

There was a time in my life when we were struggling to buy food. We could barely pay the rent. We were almost homeless.

We had no savings. We had nothing to sell.

We would take turns eating off of one plate, with one fork, one knife, and we'd wash it, and the next person could eat.

I'm not kidding.

We slept on carpet, with blankets and pillows and no mattress.

Christmas came, and we had a free artificial tree given to us.. But no presents.

A charity setup a christmas bureau. Needy parents could walk through this place with donated presents for kids marked 4-8 yrs, 8-12 yrs, 12-16 yrs, all pre-gift wrapped.

We took 6 of those presents and gave them.

5 years later, we gave back to that same Christmas bureau when we could.

It was the saddest and most happiest moment of my life.

We were proud, but we were in need.

When we reached a point in our lives when we could help someone else, we did.

Christmas is a serious time. Some families hurt and struggle. They won't talk about it, but they do hurt.

Ever since my experience, I know new people have this problem and I am aware it happens more than it should.

There is one thing I do appreciate.

I knew good-karma before eSteem, and good-karma understands good-karma. Even if he doesn't follow my blog or upvote me as often as I'd like, I don't care. He's one software author I will always trust. He means it.

Sorry if it I got a little too truthful or emotional in this comment. Most people don't know me that well. But this is the one time I wanted to share something I've gone through because of what good-karma asked.

P.S. our first piece of furniture was a free upholstered chair. When we brought it into our rented apartment, we all took turns sitting in it, instead of sitting on the carpet. I don't know how we got that low in our life situation to get to that point, but we did. I'm thankful it is a part of my history. But what I learned from that experience is that it could happen to the best of people, at any time. I'm thankful for the things I have now, and I shed a tear... (a real tear) for those that might go through similar things today.

I have wet eyes now remembering all of this.. it was a bad time in my life. But I share this incase anyone else is going through this... things will get better. It will.