A Thanksgiving Thanks

I sent an email and posted on Facebook: I wanted contributions to my Thanksgiving post.  "What are you thankful for in 250 words or less?"  It, apparently, was difficult for some. :)  Teasing aside, I'm very glad the people who responded did so.

I think this is completed.  :) Time to get up and start baking pies and making Thanksgiving's food.  :) Mmmm

Thank you! :D



By: Anonymous

I was thinking about the request, and I discovered I have too much to be thankful for, for a 250 word essay.

In general, I am thankful for my family, my health and where I live.  

I’m happy with what I do, and the friends I have.  

I read an article about the benefits of counting your blessings: http:/70.32.73.82/blog/5199/ .

I am also happy to have students who stay in touch and keep me thinking.

Have a great holiday,

(Signed, by a wonderful person)

P.S. If you don’t have all the things you want, be grateful for all the things you don’t have that you wouldn’t want.

— 

By:  Sara Gomer

I am thankful for my family. 

A few years ago, my father was still in the military, being deployed to Afghanistan, the new year had just begun.  But, when he came back, I was just so glad.  

I give thanks to the men and women whom serve in the military.

— 

By: Anthony Willhide

I am thankful for people gathering around the world to speak out against the injustices of policy and legislation which affect our life, our everyday routines and choices. (Referring to the Occupy movement.)

— 

By: Sam Pottebaum

I am thankful that I have finally found something to be passionate about. 

Most everything else was somewhat of a, “Why don’t people…___?” and now it’s a bit of “Why don’t we ____?”  

I’m thankful for finally feeling like I’m a part of a community. (Referring to the Occupy movement.)

— 

By: Josabet Orea

Thanksgiving… Yes.  I’m looking forward to it.  

Although I told a friend of mine I was not thankful for anything this year -because it has sucked- but that is a lie.  

One thing I am very grateful for this year is the lessons: the bad, which was a lot; and the good, which was pleasant although it didn’t seem to last as long.

I am thankful for my life, my parents, my sister and siblings, my fiancee, my friends.  And, I am thankful for those moments that remind me why it’s such a blessing to be in your own skin and love it.   

Accept your faults when you must, and forgive quickly, because life is too short.

But, most importantly, I am beyond grateful for God’s mercy.  Truth be told, I think that’s the only reason why many of us, mostly myself, still find ourselves standing.

— 

By: Kenneth Krauss

I am thankful for the miracle of each day and the hope of learning new things.  

I am thankful for my children and grandchildren.  They expand my awareness with different thoughts, ideas and perceptions.  They make my life more complex and thus more enjoyable. 

I am thankful for my wife.  She accepts me as is.  She is unselfish with her love.  

I love you all.  

I am thankful for all the love I receive.  

Happy Thanksgiving.

—
 By: EIn my family, Thanksgiving is the time where our family comes together for a big meal, gift
giving and lively conversation. The spectrum of political and religious views in the thirty or so
family members descending on my mother’s house each November runs the gamut from the most
conservative evangelicals to the most lovey-dubby liberals.

Sometimes -especially in election years- conversation can get a little heated over the correct direction for public policy.  But, when mashed potatoes hit the table, politics are put aside.  Time is used to appreciate each other and the work that went into the food that day.

I feel like the push and pull of love and anger in my family is an excellent representation of our country as a whole. Even when people don’t agree on some of the most pressing issues of our time, we always pull together for the things that matter most. 

So, what I am most thankful for is the unbelievable luck to be a part of a country and family where you can be wrong about everything but still feel you’re in the right place.

—

& Finally, taking up all the space I’ve allotted.  (232 words to be exact.)

By: Jared Krauss

I am thankful manhood: intangible, like floating whispers of smoke.

I am thankful for the pursuit of virtue, which is the low murmur of our culture, telling us to be good and fair, just and kind, logical and passionate.

I am thankful for the quiet voices, which sometimes speak the truth  no matter who listens.

I am thankful for growth and change, which fosters intelligence and curiosity.

I am thankful for the chance to change my life, to make it better, in order to better the world.  

I am thankful to know that there are others, striving to be good. 

Not because they are a man, or a woman, 

but because they wish to make this world better for our children.

I am thankful for curiosity, 

springing humanity forward; 

it is the kernel of curiosity 

which patiently grows 

during summers of exploration, 

resulting in a beautiful 

harvest of knowledge 

during the fall of preconceived notions,

and beginning again, 

with the consolidation of winter 

(which allows one to delve deep into new subjects).

Only to raise your head and find spring on the horizon again.  

Questions are perennial.

I am thankful for this moment in life, and all others before, 

and my family and friends and even those who bore.  

I’m thankful for love, 

I’m thankful for laughter, 

but I must give respect to Thanksgiving dinner, 

because I’m never thankful the morning after.

—

Editors Note: I took the liberty to edit your submissions for clarity.  More often than not, I didn’t even change the words of the submission, but rather changed the grammar and punctuation a bit to make it (at least to me) a bit clearer.  I hope my pre-Thanksgiving, half-drunken self hasn’t made any serious ‘oops’ in this endeadvour.

I hope you count your blessings today.  I hope you think about how you want to live the life reaming, from which you were allotted, and endear yourself of humility, because all triumphant pursuits require some sacrifice, some misgivings, some failure, some dissatisfaction, some mistakes, otherwise they’d not be triumphant.

THE END