1.My wife,Clarissa,had different 【ideas】.She had some modest Christmas growing up.She vividly 【remember】 when she was 14 or 15 years old and her father lost 【his】 job in the construction industry.She overheard her parents 【talking】 about 【how】 sad they were.So when her parents asked her 【what】 she wanted this year,she said,"Nothing." When her mother insisted 【that】 she should get something,Clarissa asked for socks.So as her family's finances improved,Christmas went back to being a much 【bigger】 production.Around 10 P.M.,Santa (My future brother-in-law in a costume) showed up with an enormous bag 【of】 presents and stepped into a room of children shouting with joy.
2.My father carried a gene which 【usually】 causes blindness.Fifteen years later,my father began to lose 【his】 eyesight and so 【did】 I.He was 55 years old,but I was only 28.Two years later,we 【went】 blind.My world crumbled,【my dreams destroyed】.My father gave me not just failing eyesight,【but】 an example of determination in the face of misfortune as well.He worked tirelessly to win the right to go to the US.Lonely in the States,he overcame his helplessness and 【lack of】 English skills to rent a small apartment,and 【bought】 airline tickets for my mom and me.His journey taught me valuable lessons for dealing with my blindness.