I know this is a hard time of year for many — even in a normal year. But it’s not a normal year. We’ve lost loved ones — to COVID, or to the unbelievable stresses that have been put on us this year.

We’ve fallen ill, and many of us still aren’t totally better yet. We’ve struggled with unprecedented mental health challenges. We’ve lost jobs or significant parts of our wages.

I know journalists are not always the most popular of figures. It’s easy to demonize the media — this seemingly big, powerful, faceless entity. “Why can’t you do more?” or “If you were a better reporter, you’d be covering X, Y and Z.” And that’s the mildest criticism we receive.

This seems like it should go without saying, but journalists are people too. We have names and faces. We have families. We’re struggling with job loss and pay cuts. We’re struggling with mental health challenges.

This year, many of us have worked harder than we ever have, sacrificing our own free time for nothing in return. And many of us have done that all while taking pay cuts or living in fear of losing our jobs. Many journalists, like so many others, have lost their jobs this year.

There are only so many hours in the day. The stories we tell will never be enough. But we’re trying — to bring you to news about what you need to know while not completely falling apart as human beings. It’s not easy. Many days I fail at it. But I’m trying.

It’s, of course, not something unique to journalists as a profession. Doctors and nurses on the front lines have it much worse, risking their lives every single day. So many other workers put their lives on the line when they set foot outside their homes.

But please, if I can make one ask this holiday season: If you can just spare an ounce of kindness — for doctors and nurses and grocery store workers and all the people you don’t see who are just trying to get through this awful year, journalists included — I would be so grateful.

At the end of the day, we’re all just individual people. There’s only so much we can do when we’ve been giving and giving and giving and there is nothing left to give. We’re all trying our best. And maybe that’s not enough. But it’s all we can do.