Charles Dickens once wrote that "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times." When he penned these words in "A Tale of Two Cities" in 1859, the times seemed bleak to the people of that era.

The same attitude is held by many folks today.

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

If you find yourself thinking that way, snap out of it; nothing could be as bad as we think it is.

In most cases there still is enough food to eat and most folks have a roof over their head and their home is warm.

There are groups like the Conyers and Rockdale Rotary and Kiwanis and Pilot clubs — not to mention countless churches, schools and non-profit groups and agencies — who give of themselves tirelessly to help their neighbors on a regular basis, not just at Christmas.

Times are hard, but there are still opportunities out there for those who want to grab hold of them — opportunities that people in many parts of the world would give their right arm for.

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

In doing so maybe we will remember the real reason for Christmas — a special time set aside to honor a God who became a man in order to teach us that love was and is the most important gift we could ever receive.

Here at The Rockdale News we are more than grateful that you, our readers and advertisers, have given us opportunity to give birth to a new newspaper - a newspaper that on a weekly basis is a testament to the good will and heart of all who live in Conyers and Rockdale County.

Smile and have a merry Christmas.