Depressing realization

I subscribe to a newspaper.  Yes, one of those paper & ink newspapers.  I'd fallen behind on my reading and was catching up yesterday going through multiple issues.  Halfway though, I realized that the legal notices section seemed to be bigger lately, and took a look.

It was nearly all foreclosures & sheriff's sales.  I've known for a long time that foreclosures have been a problem in the metro area and across the nation, but for some reason, reading it in the newspapers, seeing the addresses, somehow made it more real.

Many of those homes were someone's dream, a very exciting and proud moment in someone's life, the result of years of saving and budgeting.  Then because of a bad economy, job loss, health reasons, or a predatory loan, those homes are being lost.