Be Brave for Me.

Author's Note: I wrote this letter as a creative piece relating to Christmas. This year especially, I've realized how little the materialistic gifts really mean on this day of love and family. Then I began to think of what it would be like for someone without a family on Christmas. I wrote this from the perspective of an eight year old girl whose widower father went to war leaving her with a poor foster family. Let me know what you think!

Dear Santa,

I know you're very busy this year and Ms. Jones says that sometimes you don't have enough time to make it to all the kids houses or read all their letters. And I understand that haven't been a perfect, little girl all year long, either. Sometimes I fight with the other foster kids and last week, when Ms. Jones asked me why I was crying, I lied and told her it was because I bumped my elbow. But anyways, if you're even reading this, I have a favor to ask you. For Christmas I don't want a bike or new toys, what I really want, more than anything in the world, is for you to bring me my Daddy back.

Three years ago, he dropped me off here at the home. I still remember that day. He knelt down in front of me so we were face to face and gently grabbed my arms. He told me that he had to go away for a while. He was going to some place called Afghanistan to catch the bad guys so that here in America I'd be safe. He told me that he was going to be brave for me so I had to be brave for him, too.

I've been very brave the past few years, but i can't grow up without him and he can't stay there forever. The other kids you can make miracles so I was thinking, if you're not too busy this Christmas, maybe you could bring him back to me. And then I could be like all my friends at school, with a real father, and a family of my own.

Thank you for reading this Santa.

Sincerely,

Addie.