Charles Dickens once wrote that these are the best of times and these are the worst of times and certainly when he penned these words in "A Tale of Two Cities" in 1859, the times seemed bleak for the people of that era.

 The same attitude is held by many today.

 The truth is many of us are struggling and do not have the same lifestyles that we had a year ago.

 If you do think that way, snap out of it.

 In most cases there still is an abundance of food, a roof over head and a warm home. The prices at our local stores including food stores are the lowest they have been in years.

 So, as a community we need to stop complaining, smile more often and be grateful for the blessings we have — may they be many or few.

 In doing so maybe we will think of the real reason for Christmas: a special time set aside to honor a man who taught us that love for one another was and is the most important gift we could ever give or receive.

 Groups like the Covington Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions and Pilot clubs give of themselves to help their neighbors on a regular basis, not just at Christmas.

 Here at The Covington News, we are more than grateful that our readers and advertisers have given us the gift of being able to serve this community for 145 years.