Keith, believe me when I say that MANY families are very dysfunctional. And MANY people find the holiday season depressing. Be thankful for what you do have... such as a roof over your head, food, access to the internet and gardening friends here on NGA (and elsewhere), your niece and nephew, and so on. There are SO many people who have really, really terrible problems... what brought that home to me, when I was at a very low point following a divorce that I hadn't seen coming, was a news program about children in a hospital cancer ward. Watching that gave me something to cry about other than my own miserable plight... and made me realize that I had a choice as to whether I was going to be miserable or happy. You also have that choice... instead of wishing for things that you can't have, find joy in the things that you do or can have. It's right there waiting for you to embrace it.
