What Are You Thankful For, Focus?

Raina Harmon

Artist

I am thankful for so many things in my life it is hard to count! First, I am thankful for my outstanding, supportive family and friends who have supported me from the very beginning. Second, I am thankful for my dog. My dog is just awesome. Finally, I am thankful for Texas, because it showed me how amazing life could be.

Jayden Behling

Writer

I am thankful for many things in life. I have a roof over my head, food on my plate, a warm bed to sleep in, family and friends who love and support me, and so much more. I am thankful to have been born in an amazing country like America that holds such diversity among its people as well as having so many different opportunities to go and explore the rest of the world. I am grateful to have nothing that clips my wings and prevents me from doing the things I love to do. To be able to learn, experience amazing things, work with others in groups on things I enjoy in my soul, and do things like powerlifting and band are some other reasons why I cannot complain. Of course, the world is full of privileges and such, and not everyone is as lucky as we often find ourselves to be. I am grateful for all the things I have and can give to others. In all honestly, it boils down to the fact that my life is amazing and I am thankful to live it the way I do.

Sarah Harper

Senior Editor

Let me be real with you guys. I could say the usual stuff and drone on about this or that thing that has made me thankful, but I would be lying if I said that I have been thankful all year. This year has brought so much change and trials into my life; I am slowly creeping up on one of the biggest decisions of my life, I have lost friends, I have lost family, I am tired, and stressed, and totally not okay a solid 90 percent of the time. But as I sit here listening to twenty one pilots on repeat in a large comfortable chair at my Aunt’s right after Thanksgiving, I can honestly say that I am thankful for 2016. The loss of some of my family members has drawn a tighter cord around those of us who still got to stuff our faces at the dinner table today. I lost many people I cared about, many friends, but I also learned a new level of strength that I did not know I possessed. I have made new friends this year, people I never would have dreamed I would find myself close to, and I have found friends that stuck by me through every difficult night I had. I am thankful then, for the people in my life that have stuck by me-- for the people who are slowly restoring my trust and faith in humanity. I am thankful for my family; even if we don’t have the best living situation or the most money, we have love, and that’s something I took for granted until this year when I learned what it was like to live without that support system under you. I am thankful for a Mighty God that has His own plans, even when I curse and scream at Him, and even when I don’t understand, He still loves me. I know this is supposed to be a personal thankful list, but rules are meant to be broken. Reader, I ask that you take a moment and really reflect over the things in your life to be thankful for; and if there are people that come into your mind, tell them. Please. They need to hear it. You never know what they are going through. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a great break everyone. <3