Gratitude on Thanksgiving

Reasons to be Grateful

By Iginio Hernandez

I am thankful for my family, obviously. I’m thankful for my brothers, sisters and all of my closest friends with whom I have had the pleasure of experiencing life with. My loving mother has helped make me the man I am today. I’m incredibly thankful for having met my beautiful girlfriend. Although she drives me to the edge of insanity, she’s inspired me to finally search for something beyond everyday living. I love all these people deeply and can only hope to be fortunate enough to continue doing so for many years to come.

I am thankful for my health. I understand that I am very lucky for the ability to provide for myself; many people may not have that luxury. In all honesty, I’m thankful for every breath I’m allowed to take and everyday I am above ground. Life truly is short and it becomes more apparent with every year that goes by.

Thanksgiving is for Family Traditions

By Courtney Downs

Thanksgiving to me is a very family heavy holiday. It is one of the few holidays where a good portion of my family can be together and enjoy a large meal together. For the past few years, we’ve been alternating Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners between going to my grandfather and step-grandmother’s house.

We have a pretty standard Thanksgiving with turkey and all the fixings, but with little quirks like the fact that my father is the only one who eats cranberry sauce—so we always set the table so it’s closest to him—or the fact that my family knows I eat the most helpings of mashed potatoes so it is always near me. After we eat, we play Mexican Train Dominoes, which is a game that we use to play with grandmother before she passed away almost eight years ago. It helps keep my memory of her alive and help continue a time honored tradition.

Thank You for Making Me Everything and More

By Joaquin Mojica

Around this time of year, I am thankful for my self-awareness that never steers me wrong. It makes me more versatile and critical when absorbing information. I am also thankful for the amazing students and professors who have influenced me to unleash my full potential. Above all, I would like to thank my family who raised me to be a stand-up guy with good morals that never gives up. All of these factors combined have transformed me into a person that I thought I could only dream of becoming.

Family, Food and So Much Love

By Lydia Vazquez

Thanksgiving to me means being grateful for everything. It means spending time with the people I love and cherishing every moment. I am grateful for this beautiful life and being fortunate enough to be surrounded by the people who bring so much joy and meaning to my life. I am also super grateful for the enormous amount of food I will be devouring.

November Brings Food for Thought

By Samantha Fry

Every Thanksgiving I reflect on all the things I am grateful for and surround myself with. I am thankful for my family, my pets, my friends and their families who treat me like their own, my boyfriend, my job, my education and my health. I am thankful to have a roof over my head every night, clothes on my back, shoes on my feet, a fridge full of food and the warmth of my bed. I think Thanksgiving is a time to give back to those less fortunate, to pay it forward and to show gratitude. This time of year is always a reminder to me that all my bad days weren’t so bad after all and that I have so much to be thankful for. My heart, and my tummy, is full.

Live, Love, Laugh

By Torya Moore

This year Thanksgiving means a lot to me. I lost my uncle on Nov. 15 this year. So this Thanksgiving I value my family and love more than anything. What I’m most grateful for is my family. Family means a lot to me and this year I value my family, friends and loved ones. Plus, I will always remember to never take what I have for granted and to always live, love and laugh at life.

Patience, Love and Forgiveness

By Tinete Williams

Thanksgiving to me means a time of the year when I reflect on what I’m grateful for. This year in particular I’m grateful for God: his patience, love and forgiveness with me. I’m grateful for my job and the opportunity to go to school. I’m grateful for this class [Jour 105] because I’ve learned a lot and it’s been a great, fun experience that has taught me so much and has inspired me. I’m grateful for all my family and friends who are always there to help me, support me and build me up: my mom in particular. She’s the most hard-working woman I know. Thanks for your friendship and love mom and always helping me through every obstacle and joyous moment in life.