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"So Many Things to Be Thankful For" by Amanda Lim

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As a Malaysian, I’ve never celebrated Thanksgiving in my life. Don’t get me wrong,  we have Chinese New Year, where, like Thanksgiving, we gather with family to spend time together. But a day especially set apart for “giving thanks?” Is it really necessary? I thought that idea was wild; couldn’t we just be thankful every day? It wasn’t until I had almost completed all my years of high school, approaching its end, that I realized how important it is to have a day to be thankful and celebrate the little things every day. 

The Thanksgiving holiday originated with the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1621. It was initially a festival that celebrated gratitude for a successful harvest. As more years passed, it became a national holiday in the U.S., where family and friends gather to express gratitude for life over a shared meal. Some other things associated with Thanksgiving include turkey trots, sweet potato casseroles, and, of course, food comas. All of these things make Thanksgiving such a special time for many Americans worldwide. 

Dalat is blessed with a diverse staff and student body from all over the world. But what are they thankful for around this time of the year?  Ms. Keister, our high school’s beloved history teacher, said that she’s grateful for “Saturday mornings, and reading while I stare at the ocean.” While students, like Jonathan Ooi (12), said that they’re “thankful for the Thanksgiving break because of time for rest.” The Thanksgiving festivities and the long four-day break provided teachers and students with much-needed rest as school delved deeper into its first semester.

To me, there are so many things I thank God for daily: food, shelter, family, friends, an education, and a strong community. Every day that we wake up, see our loved ones healthy, and have the opportunity to learn, spend time with friends, give out hugs, and speak kind words to others are all things to be thankful for. And this perspective is definitely not something that comes naturally to everyone: it takes time, patience, and intentionality to shape it. 

How do we start filling our day with more gratitude? It can start as small as writing down one thing you’re grateful for each morning. It can be as simple as saying thank yous to your bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and public service workers. Everything counts; you just have to start. 

Now, I view Thanksgiving as an opportunity, in addition to our daily expressions of gratitude, to show appreciation in our everyday lives. Thankfulness should not be reserved or restricted to one day of the year; instead, it should be something we express daily to the people around us, such as our friends and family. But most importantly, our constant thanksgiving should go to our Creator, the One who gave us purpose and a chance to experience life with Him. 

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