What Are You Thankful For?

Written by Graham Jenson

As time passes, I’ve learned how to appreciate more unique aspects of life. Being grateful for other things has changed me as a person and really made me who I am today. As a younger kid, all I cared about was Spongebob and ice cream. You tend to grow out of those types of things as you get older. I see people living on the streets of Denver freezing their butts off all winter long. That alone makes me incredibly grateful that I have a roof over my head. Nowadays, I appreciate things like a beautiful community and Jesus. There are a lot of bad events happening in our world today that upset people. For example, eight fans died at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival. This was such a tragedy and upset many people. My heart goes out to their families and friends. News sites often focus on violence and crime instead of positive, uplifting stories. The world seems to be divided into two teams that will never get along. Thanksgiving is a great time to lighten the mood and forget about all of the nonsense happening in the world.

Before I Interviewed these students at ThunderRidge, I thought most kids didn’t appreciate much. As it turns out, ThunderRidge Students are quite thankful.

Emily Aurora, (Grade 11) described, “I’m thankful for the opportunity I have to be on the cheer team because I have made a lot of new friends and I’ve learned how to work hard.”

Layton Nelson, (Grade 10) explained, “I’m grateful for all of my friends. They do so much for me and make me feel so special.”

Chris Hoerler, (Grade 12) exclaimed, “I’m really grateful for the ocean and how beautiful it is. I

love surfing and all of the wildlife in it.”

Nathan Talbot, (Grade 11) told me, “ I am incredibly grateful for Jesus because he is always there for me when I feel like I have nobody.”

Security Guard Greg reflected, “I’m thankful to be alive. I survived very severe cancer and it’s a true miracle that I am still here.”

I can’t wait to spread some love and gratitude this Thanksgiving with friends and family! Hearing my fellow schoolmates share what they are thankful for was heartwarming and gave me a more positive outlook on people at school. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!