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ABOUT WOMEN By
Lynda Arakawa
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The excitement of the holidays has begun.
We're checking our Christmas lists, humming carols, and giving ourselves pep talks before facing a mob of shoppers at Toys "R" Us.
Some of us are trying to squeeze in those extra advance workouts to make up for stuffing ourselves silly with food at parties.
Ah, good times.
I've always associated Christmas with lots of presents under the tree and large get-togethers with my relatives. After all, that's how it's supposed to be, right?
Sadly, the holidays are not a joyful time for everyone, as a recent assignment reminded me.
Since Thanksgiving, I've been profiling families in need for The Advertiser Christmas Fund, a drive for Helping Hands Hawai'i.
That there are needy people in Hawai'i wasn't new to me.
But listening to mothers and fathers — hearing their voices break when they talk about living on the beach or caring for a child with a horrible illness — gave me a clearer picture of how hard life is for so many people here.
Their stories are hard to forget:
Some parents talked about how heart-breaking it is that they can't afford gifts for their children.
Some are going to college seeking a better life. Some overcame years of drug abuse and now work full-time jobs.
Those who have homes talk about how lucky they are just to have a roof over their heads this Christmas.
Call me naive, but hearing so many of these stories left an impression on me.
Maybe that speaks to how fortunate I've been.
It's hard to imagine what it's like to not have a safe home, to have to take cold showers at the beach every day or to have to scrounge up whatever change you have just to buy a little toy for a toddler.
When you've been blessed with a stable home and a supportive family, it can be easy to forget that the things you take for granted are far-off luxuries for others and that there are those who have it so much harder.
But, as this assignment reminds me, people here still struggle every day, whether we remember them or not.
Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.
