One day before Christmas, I asked my friends and family to lower their expectations regarding future gifts. I told them about my financial situation, what I could spend on, and what I was trying ...

my family is hardly the Brady bunch, and I get upset dwelling on one particularly sad situation between me and my siblings that always comes to light at Christmas. So I just keep repeating that ...

I do still feel sad at Christmas; it’s unlikely that I’ll ever have the festive season I really want with my family. But feeling able to sit with that disappointment, rather than push it away ...

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michael Allen, a 54-year-old author from Titusville, Florida. It has been edited for length and clarity. In 1995, I realized I couldn't give ...