Many people I personally know give thanks to God daily for all their blessings, but day after tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day 2014, we join as a nation to give thanks for all that we have. It is a lesson we learned from the original Native Americans and the first settlers who joined together in a spirit of thanksgiving.
I learned my first lesson of thanksgiving at the late age of 16 from a wonderful man, my father. We had just lost every last bit of our possessions in the Sanderson flood of 1965.
Of course my first reaction was a tearful one, but as soon as the first sob came out of my heart, Papi hushed it with his firm words, “Be thankful that we did not lose our lives.
We came so close.”
I followed my dad's example of being grateful for the wonderful friends and strangers who helped us replace our belongings and for Red Cross volunteers and funds. Above all and to this day, I thank God for the ten minutes that separated my family from death.
Along with his lesson of giving thanks, my unselfish dad taught me to share whatever we have without asking whether the recipient is worthy or without expecting anything in return. In today's world we gripe about the welfare system simply because some individuals abuse it. Papi would say judging others negates any good we do. We complain because immigrants who have been residing in our country for years are fighting for citizenship.
Papi would say that could be us.
I will not let him down; I will forever be thankful for his teachings.
I learned my first lesson of thanksgiving at the late age of 16 from a wonderful man, my father. We had just lost every last bit of our possessions in the Sanderson flood of 1965.
Of course my first reaction was a tearful one, but as soon as the first sob came out of my heart, Papi hushed it with his firm words, “Be thankful that we did not lose our lives.
We came so close.”
I followed my dad's example of being grateful for the wonderful friends and strangers who helped us replace our belongings and for Red Cross volunteers and funds. Above all and to this day, I thank God for the ten minutes that separated my family from death.
Along with his lesson of giving thanks, my unselfish dad taught me to share whatever we have without asking whether the recipient is worthy or without expecting anything in return. In today's world we gripe about the welfare system simply because some individuals abuse it. Papi would say judging others negates any good we do. We complain because immigrants who have been residing in our country for years are fighting for citizenship.
Papi would say that could be us.
I will not let him down; I will forever be thankful for his teachings.