Giving thanks

We're frantically counting down the days until no school, but Thanksgiving is more than just "a half a day away." Thanksgiving is a day to ponder the people in our lives. True, after arriving to high school - where it's all work and no play - there's not much time or energy to give thanks to people or fortunes, but maybe we should.

Thanxgiving turkey

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It may be silly to sit down and reflect upon the thanks we should to give, but this mere action should never be overlooked. I know I certainly don't go around everyday appreciating all the good things in my life; instead, I complain about too much homework and this and that. One day out of every year for reflection certainly can't hurt.

Many people may think it is futile to feel gratified when so many bad things happened this year: Tai Lam's tragic death, the stabbing incident just over a week later, the accidental shooting and our shoddy economy, to name a few things. But that's more reason to value the aspects which make our lives enjoyable. Despite tragedies that have touched Blair, there are silver linings that shine through from these horrifying occurrences.

Tai Lam showed us that we should appreciate all of life's worth and to carpe diem - seize the day. The shocking stabbing and shooting episodes further opened our eyes to possible dangers within our Blair community. All three incidents of violence taught us to be thankful about how well the Blair community came together. Principal Williams, the Blair administration and the SGA also deserve an extra shout-out for their efforts in maintaining the stability of the school and our emotions.

And what's to be grateful about the economy, which has only led to employment and thinner wallets? Maybe out of this, Americans can - once and for all - realize that materialism is overrated, and the things that matter the most are those which we cannot touch.

Finally, there's the thanks we always miss, those things which we take for granted including good health, free education and the people in our lives - teachers, friends and family.

Thanks. It's one word that truly makes a difference.