The joy and the sadness

A little boy holds up his empty bowl.  "Please sir, may I have some more?"  It is breakfast time and there is a line of cold children queuing up.

Hungry children without socks on cold winter days. 

Children with holes in the soles of their shoes. 

Children whose last meal might have been yesterday's lunch.

Children who come to school one day and disappear without a word the next.  Children who suddenly reappear after weeks of being gone.

These are not tales out of a Dickensian novel.  They are straight out of one of the wealthiest cities in the Heartland.

A teacher keeps a box of "extra" shoes and socks sitting by her door.  There are a few hats and mittens in there too.  You can help yourself, or she might help you if you don't.

Late in the day there is a drawing and the winners get to take home a prize, a gift wrapped up in Christmas paper.  Supposedly this drawing is for children who donated something to the food baskets.  In reality it is, at least partially, a cover for children whose parents are too proud to accept charity.

But beginning to end, these children appear to be the same laughing, joyful children who simply accept what life hands out that you see anywhere.

The joy and the sadness stand next to each other every day.