The Worst Time Of The Year?




December 27th, 2011
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For a lot of Americans, this is the worst time of the year. If you don't have any money, it can be really hard to hear others go on and on about how good "Santa Claus" was to them this year. For many, there is simply not much to be cheerful about as the year ends. There are millions of people in this country that do not have a "happy family" to spend the holidays with, there are millions of people in this country that do not have any money to spend on gifts, and there are millions of people that are either already sleeping in the streets or that are in imminent danger of losing their homes. It can be really difficult to feel "holiday cheer" when you are freezing cold and you don't have any food in your stomach. The realization that you are not going to enjoy any of the good things that other people get to enjoy this time of the year is enough to push many people over the edge. Yes, for most of the country this time of the year is filled with food, family and fun but for millions of others this time of the year tends to magnify despair, depression and thoughts of suicide. If you are blessed as we get ready to enter 2012, please remember those out there that are really hurting. If someone does not help them, they might not make it to 2013.

In our society today, the "holiday season" is held up as the ultimate time of the year. Often expectations are so high that they are almost impossible to fulfill. The truth is that materialism is never going to bring anyone true fulfillment, and once Christmas is over many Americans are left with a very hollow feeling.

But all of the "Christmas hype" on television and in the movies can make it seem like this is a "magical" time of the year for most people. For those that are in a tremendous amount of emotional pain, the holidays can be excruciating because they can feel as though they are "missing out" on all the fun and happiness that everyone else is experiencing. That is why for many Americans that are "on the edge", this can be the absolute worst time of the year.

When people go "over the edge", the consequences can be devastating.

For example, have you noticed how there always seems to be a rash of murder-suicides at this time of the year?

One murder-suicide that made national headlines happened down in Texas. It turns out that the killer actually dressed up as Santa Claus. The following description of this stunning incident comes from an article posted on USA Today....

Police said the man they believe is responsible for a Christmas Day shooting that left him and six members of his extended family dead was dressed as Santa Claus.
Grapevine police spokesman Sgt. Robert Eberling said Monday the shooter "showed up shortly before the incident took place" in the Santa outfit and was a member of the family opening gifts in the apartment.
Could you imagine being killed by a family member dressed as Santa Claus?

But sometimes people do not snap in a family setting. For some, it is the work environment that sets them off. Just consider the following example from a recent article in the Washington Post....

A Southern California Edison employee chatted calmly with co-workers in the moments between gunning down four managers during a rampage at an office complex, authorities said as the building reopened Tuesday.

Investigators still were trying to determine what pushed gunman Andre Turner to finish a normal workday by shooting the workers with a semiautomatic handgun before turning it on himself.
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