Last week I talked with my Grade 2 class about Thanksgiving and the things we’re grateful for. I was rather disappointed. My school is populated mostly with children who are well-fed, well-dressed, and very well looked after. These kids were like, “Um, je dis merci pour mon Nintendo DSI…” So I told them about how there are children in Pakistan right now without houses or clothes or clean water. And in many other countries, for that matter.
Fortunately, my Grade 4/5s were much more forthcoming. When prompted, they found that they were thankful for practically everything.
I know I’m a day or two late, but here goes – the first ten things I’m grateful for that come into my head:
- My son (the best one 🙂 )
- My marriage (to my beloved friend and my son’s loving father)
- My family (whom I’m lucky enough to love as friends too)
- My friends (many of whom are like family)
- My house (with its running water, electricity, furnace, laundry… I guess this is more than ten things, isn’t it?)
- My home (a country and a city where the livin’ is easy)
- My job (at a school that reminds me every day of the good reasons why I teach)
- My faculties (this is way more than one… but I’m feeling particularly grateful for my mobility, my eyesight, and my memory right now)
- Food – oh so much amazing food this past weekend…
- My iPhone. Hah! Just kidding… my MacBook. Hah! Just kidding… let’s go with… YOU. The much-appreciated folks who read my blog. Hugs to you!
I guess it’s a pretty standard list – but it doesn’t hurt to remind oneself of these things, often. (Yet another valuable lesson from A.J. Jacobs… and Oprah… and probably Dr. Phil…)
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I am thankful for your blog. It makes me smile 🙂 Love you Di!
moi aussi!!–thankful for that lil Di girl in my life!
I to am thankful for your blog! It is a way to keep you, Sean and the Fantastic Mr. E close to us even though we are far apart in distance. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t say how thankful I am for your wonderful brother who just happens to be my loving husband and friend too!
getting choked up reading this. how wonderful that the 4/5 kids were able to recognize more ‘worthwhile’ and meaningful things to be grateful for rather than just toys. Hopefully it’s just an age thing…
Thank you, lovely people. Lindsay, I know what you mean. Actually, there were a couple Gr. 2s, once I read their booklets (about being thankful), some of them thought of a dozen or more things, like “my brother”, “the Earth”, “being alive”, and such. THAT was cool.