Thanksgiving is fast approaching and that means stuffing, turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes; what else could anyone possible ask for? Even though the main part of Thanksgiving is the food, it is not necessarily the most important part—the people you surround yourself with are.
I know, we love the food too. There is pie and turkey and all the wonderful food that will make us full for days on end. However, we often forget the importance of the holiday. It is not about the food, but rather about being thankful. I mean, it is in the name of the holiday. While you are waiting to eat, or passing dishes from one person to the other to equally portion out all of your food, remember that those people you are surrounded by are why this holiday is so crucial in our lives. On Thanksgiving, we really get to see how much we have to be thankful for and who we have to be thankful for.
If you are sitting at a table with a ton of food freshly made from the help of your family, be thankful. You have the ability to sit at a table with fresh food whereas some people are alone on Thanksgiving, or on the streets, with no food.
If you are surrounded by people giving you hugs and smothering you with unwanted kisses on the cheek, be thankful. You are loved and have family and friends who worship you for who you are, you are not alone.
If you are able to have laughs and talk about your experiences so far this semester at college, be thankful. Even though it may seem as if the people around you are nagging you, they are not. They genuinely care about how you are doing, and that is definitely something to be thankful for.
No matter how much we love Thanksgiving for the food, always keep in mind how much you actually have to be thankful for. You are so much more fortunate than you think, and Thanksgiving is a time to really and truly say thank you to every person in your life that has made an impact. Every piece of food you receive, every unwanted hug or kiss on the cheek and every laugh you share with your family members, say thank you. That is what Thanksgiving is all about.