(December 17, 2004) — As the year comes to an end, everyone has a different outlook on the events that have made up our lives. Some people are sad that a loved one has passed away, while others are happy that there is new life in the family. Christmas is a time for families to get together and be happy that they are alive. Yet, there are those who complain that they didn’t get that great new iPod or that there wasn’t enough delicious Christmas ham. I can’t comprehend why people would even complain during the holidays. We are very lucky to be here in the United States, where we can enjoy things that we wouldn’t be able to in other countries. This past July, I was fortunate to be able to visit El Salvador. I had gone down there happy that I was going to be seeing my family. I came back with an appreciation for everything I have here. One day while driving through downtown San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, my parents, uncle and I stopped at an intersection. To our left, in the middle of the street, was a young boy of no more than ten years of age walking from car to car asking for money. He slowly dragged himself until he eventually reached our car. He asked my uncle for a dollar, but he was out of money. That’s when we noticed that he was carrying a large brick, ready to break open the car windows. If no one was willing to give him money, then he would take it by force. Fortunately, the light turned green and we were able to get away before the kid threw the brick. While visiting my aunt, I met an old man who helped her out with her crops. The moment I saw him, I could feel tears building up in my eyes. He was dressed in worn down khakis and a striped shirt. His shoes were at least three sizes too big and he used a small rope to hold up his pants. I couldn’t believe the effect poverty had on people. I immediately took off my belt and I gave it to him. My dad had brought some clothes on this trip to donate to those who really needed them, and so he gave him several pairs of clothes and shoes. Even now, as I reflect on the poverty that I’ve seen, I feel a need to cry. We have so much to be thankful for in this country, yet for some reason most of us don’t see it. All of us (I hope) have a place to live and a family to come home to. In other places, children live alone on the street and others don’t even have a set of decent clothes. We must appreciate what we have here in the United States, because frankly, we are very lucky to have all that we have.