Be thankful during the holiday season

We seem to have made it; another semester down, halfway through with the school year and the holidays are upon us. I know we're all thinking the same thing: Thank goodness. (Unless of course you're one of those folks who dreads the holidays, which if that's the case you'll probably be dreading the festivities.)

   

Although, I have to say that while my "thank goodness" can be attributed to the proximity of Christmas, it mostly has to do with the end of the semester. I plan on using my month-long break as a time for relaxation and de-stressing. I'll also be travelling home, so there will be quite a lot of fun activities for me to do. Again, something I "thank goodness for."

    

If there is one thing the holiday season never fails to do, it is make people remember the things that we are thankful for. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is difficult to go to dinner or a gathering of any kind and not hear someone mention how thankful they are for something. Which put me thinking: what are some of the things I have had to be thankful for this year?

    

The list is long, so I won't bore with all of the details, but perhaps the few at the top. Of course, family falls on the list. Being roughly 3,000 miles away from my parents and sisters reminds me often of how much I appreciate them and also how lucky I am to have a great extended family that takes me in and feeds me when I need it (not to mention the free laundry!)

    

Family brings me to the next thing on my list: friends. Friends come in all forms and without them, I'd be hungry and sometimes homeless (couches are a great thing) too often. I probably wouldn't laugh nearly as much either, and that would be a problem. So, thanks friends, you make my life a better place to be, every day.

    

I'm thankful for people like Father Tom, who, even though he's gone, reminds me to pursue and participate in things that make me happy. Who make me smile daily (even if their comments are dripping with sarcasm) and who are passionate about things that others may find to be boring or nerdy. I'm thankful for an environment that fosters my desires for higher academic achievement and for the people who want to help me reach those goals.

    

These are just some of the things that make my life good and I'm sure you have many too. So, in your busy schedule over the next few weeks, take some time out of your day to be thankful for the things in your life that make you happy. You'll be surprised at how much you find when you think about it. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season. See you back here in January!