Don’t Hate, Appreciate

JENNY LEE
Features Editor

Schools across America take a few days off annually to celebrate this November holiday with their families. Elementary school teachers have incessantly engraved images of Pilgrims and feasts into young minds. Giving thanks should be a daily practice, so what is so exceptional about this sole holiday besides stuffing ourselves with delights?

Thanksgiving commemorates the historic day when Pilgrims successfully settled on American soil, but most of all, it is a reminder.

This autumn holiday reminds us that despite the unappetizing cafeteria lunches, we still have options to select from. It reminds us that we are well-fed enough to dump out tasteless broccoli and peculiar boxes of dried fruit and nuts and that we are financially well off enough to purchase one dollar Hot Cheetos from the vending machine.

Overlooking the negative events in life and taking time to reflect over the better moments is crucial to good health—not physical, but spiritual and relational health. Thanking stimulates healthy relationships and gratitude fosters optimism within individuals.

Inevitably, we will have sorrows, but even misery comes and goes. Why focus on the gloominess when we could focus on experiences worth our appreciation?