Thanksgiving

A whole 389 years ago, in the year 1621, a group of Pilgrims and Native Americans got together for a three-day celebration, which later became known as the first Thanksgiving feast. It was a time to celebrate and laugh, to enjoy the simple pleasure of life. It was a feast of thanks, to the Native Americans for helping them get through their first year, to God, for "guiding them to the Native Americans", and probably just plain luck for still being able to live, eat, and play. From that year on, the principles of Thanksgiving still sounds, even 389 years after the first "thanksgiving". It's still a time to step back from the great rat race and look around, a time to just be thankful for what you do have. As one follows an average, modern day life, everyday is a routine, a maze where one has to avoid as many pitfalls as possible. With so many out there, one can't help but just see all of the negative parts and none of the positive parts. As a student, I have lots to worry about: grades, friends, sports, and all sorts of things. Sometimes, I might be sad that I didn't do so well in my baseball game, or when I don't get the grade that I wanted. It might be my fault, or it might be just luck. This holds true for most people I know, too. Too often do you hear of people protesting this bill or that law, complaining about how little our president has done, or how bad the economy is. Far too often can you hear the complaining of how this one person just "got lucky", or how unlucky one has been. But Thanksgiving is that day where you can just step above that everyday thinking, look around, and realize what a lucky person you are. Not everybody can have parents that care for you and respect your decisions and independence. Not everybody can have food on their table every morning, noon, and night. Not everybody has the chance to live in the most powerful country in the world, which happens also to be the one that gives the most rights to its citizens. Not everybody can have an education, a house, clothing to wear, or any of the things that you might have. Is it your right to have any of those things? Of course not; as a kid, it just happens that you got born into a family that can provide those things for you, and you should be thankful for that. Anything that isn't a right to have is a privilege, and Thanksgiving is all about just being grateful for all your privileges. After all, from the poorest man to the richest, the tallest to the shortest, the strongest to the weakest, everybody has something to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving is just for realizing that fact.