But I'm challenging you to twist your thinking. Not just about giving thanks on Thanksgiving, but about life as a whole. I'm challenging you to be thankful when others would be hurt, sorrowed, burdened, angered, troubled, disappointing, or frustrated. I'm challenging you to find a way to be thankful about the things in life for which you would normally have ill feelings. After all, everything in life is only as good or bad as you perceive it to be. Change your point of view, and something awful can become something wonderful; a regret can become a lesson, a sorrow a joy.
If you can do this, it may change your life. People who seek for and find the positive in every situation smile and laugh more. They discover a new level of satisfaction in their own lives, and even the people around them seem to benefit from residual happiness in their own lives.
This Thanksgiving I am thankful for my students who refused to read the book, Whirligig. (That's right! I know who you are and I know what you haven't done.) Many of these same students who refused to read this little book, even at the expense of their first quarter grade, have taken a totally different approach with their lit-circle novel. I've seen these "reluctant readers" become "excited and entertained readers" with the change of books.
ReplyDeleteThis observation has reminded me just how hard it was for me to read a book that was forced upon me. It has also reminded me what a little bit of free choice in reading can do to transform someone's motivation level. Thanks to these lit-circle groups, I am now more understanding of the difficulties students have reading a book they aren't interested in, and I have learned not to judge someone as a "reluctant reader" just because they wouldn't read book.
Hey, I still haven't finished The Fountainhead!
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ReplyDeleteFor my unusual thanksgiving story i am telling you about the time my grandpa got lung cancer and he got it from smoking.cause it makes me think of how life is precious and that is should never was a single moment well i am healthy and alive. also that smoking is not good for the breathing bags so you should stay away from smoking.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful for fracturing my ankle. It taught me that I should be grateful for being completely healthy and that other people have to go through life with something like this because it's more major. It sucked but it did not take long to heal while other people have it for life or a longer period of time. I think this was a good thing to happen in my life.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very unique way of looking at winter, thanks for new perspective.
DeleteI'm thankful for 9/11. I am because it made are country regroup in a way that couldn't be compared to anything else. It also made the United States a stronger country. But the real reason why is because our military and our security has improved and it makes the United States a much safer place.
ReplyDeleteThis thanksgiving, I am thankful for Wisconsin Winters. Usually, when the snow starts to fall in mid-November, I become irritated. Snow is a sign of cold weather and a long 5 months inside. Not to mention, icy roads, shoveling, and the absence of green grass. However, with winter comes many beautiful things.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever taken the time to look at a snowflake? Each one is different and unique in its own way, similar to a fingerprint. No two snowflakes are the same. Even though there isn’t any green outside, colorful leaves, or flowers, there is a blanket of snow covering land for miles.
Another benefit of a Wisconsin Winter is sitting by the fire with blankets and a good book or movie. Hot food is at its prime. Even though outside its cold, inside it is nice and warm, perfect for sleeping. Can you imagine watching Christmas movies while there is still grass outside? What if you woke up on Christmas morning, only to find out that outside, the ground is bare? Without snow, the holidays won’t feel the same.
As long as it is winter and the weather is cold, there might as well be snow.
You described the beauty of the snowflake extremely well, I really like it.
DeleteI am thankful for my dogs always getting into mischief. If they didn't, then it wouldn't teach me parenting skills. Yes, raising a child is different from a dog, but I know more about caring for a live organism than I did before I got my dogs. Even though my dogs are annoying, I still love them. They taught me how to care for something, like a parent would with a child.
ReplyDeleteJust like with our children...Even though they are annoying, we still love them.
DeleteThis isn't going to sound right but I’m happy my grandma passed away. She was always in so much pain and under a ton of stress. It was hard seeing her like that for 8 years. Even though she passed away exactly a week before my 12 birthday. It was hard going through this on my birthday and not having anyone there for me. I've closed myself off since then so much that I’m not who I used to be I changed for the better. My cousin had to bring a ton of her friends who shouldn't have come and they said she was like a grandma to them. My oldest guy cousins and I took it the hardest for the kids we were there for each other through it all. My other cousin laughed the whole time and didn't really care she never has cared at all for any of us it got so annoying. So the older cousins told her to just leave she didn't have to be there she never tried to be sad looking she acted like she was there for us when she wasn't she had a ton of her friends come and they were so loud and they just went right to the basement and ate and drank things the whole visitation. The day of the burial my cousin wore some very skimpy clothing and really high heels like she was going to a party. We disowned her right there and then we didn’t care for her or about her anymore I’m still happy my older cousin’s still r there for me. The first week in December is the hardest especially the 4th which is the day she passed.
ReplyDeleteHaving Hashimoto's Encepholopothy really sucks.
ReplyDeleteAnd all the treatment that goes with it.
Sometimes I just want to scream.
Having to drink practically five gallons of water before treatment.
IVIG is the name they gave this treatment, and
Monthly it is given.
On these days I spend usually eight hours in the hospital.
The day after I feel terrible.
Only thing good, is that it keeps me alive.
So I just kind of have to accept it.
Even though the IVIG is bad, it's
Not as bad as having a seizure at any moment.
Could you live with that?
easy as it may sound, it's not.
Possibly dying at any moment, it
Hits you pretty hard.
Only way I live with it is to just keep living.
Life can be cruel, but you just have to take a few more steps.
Other than one huge leap.
Plus, the memory problems can affect everything, too.
And this includes school, responsibilities, and daily activities.
There are plenty more that sucks along with these few points.
Hashimoto's Encepholopothy really sucks.
You could only fully understand if you had it yourself.
This isn't going to sound right but I’m happy my grandma passed away. She was always in so much pain and under a ton of stress. It was hard seeing her like that for 8 years. Even though she passed away exactly a week before my 12 birthday. It was hard going through this on my birthday and not having anyone there for me. I've closed myself off since then so much that I’m not who I used to be I changed for the better. My cousin had to bring a ton of her friends who shouldn't have come and they said she was like a grandma to them. My oldest guy cousins and I took it the hardest for the kids we were there for each other through it all. My other cousin laughed the whole time and didn't really care she never has cared at all for any of us it got so annoying. So the older cousins told her to just leave she didn't have to be there she never tried to be sad looking she acted like she was there for us when she wasn't she had a ton of her friends come and they were so loud and they just went right to the basement and ate and drank things the whole visitation. The day of the burial my cousin wore some very skimpy clothing and really high heels like she was going to a party. We disowned her right there and then we didn’t care for her or about her anymore I’m still happy my older cousin’s still r there for me. The first week in December is the hardest especially the 4th which is the day she passed.
ReplyDeletei understand and i think this a good unusual thanksgiving paragraph
DeleteYes I understand, I like how you and your cousin banded together!!
DeleteOften, it is in these most difficult times that we develop our strongest relationships.
DeleteI'm thankful for my dog pooping on the floor as a puppy. It was gross but I learned responsibility and how to take care of a dog.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful for homework it it gets me prepared for the real world with the experience that the homework and the reason why its my unusual thanksgiving is homework is because even though i hate it because it takes some of my free time it keeps my brain active.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful for my dog pooping on the floor as a puppy. It was gross but I learned responsibility and how to take care of a dog.
ReplyDeletefunny
Deleteyeah good job
Deletenice
DeleteA great way to gain responsibility is receiving a new pet! Great writing.
DeleteVery good topic, I wish I had come up with an interesting topic like that.
DeleteI am thankful for getting a cat for the cat i already had. The cat I have was really lonely, and would go into heat all of the time because of her mothers death. About two or so months ago, we got another cat for her, and since she hasn't been the same. They get along really well, and both are totally different.
ReplyDeleteA couple years ago my uncle brought his wife to thanksgiving dinner. At that time my grandma got a new dog, it was a German Shepard and it was fully grown at the time. The dog has never seen my uncles wife before and he wasn't good at meeting new people. When he saw my uncles wife he charged her and bit her. I had to grab him and try to control him. I restrained him long enough for them to leave the house, they never came back to the house anymore because anytime they tried, the dog would attack her. That Thanksgiving we had to go to the hospital after we were done eating to go see how she was doing. I'm thankful that it happened there and then so i could do something, if i wasn't there who knows what would've happened.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you were a real hero!
DeleteI am thankful for all the "I can'ts" I said in my life, because it has made me a stronger person. And taught me how to fight for the things i want in life.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful for the outcome of having a 5 month migraine. Being in the hospital made me and stronger person and made me get over my fear of hospitals. That experience made me realize how many people care for me and support me. Even though it wasn't a good experience, i am definitely a better and stronger person because of it.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful for my sister being mean to me ALL the time. My sister being mean to me has made me able to take blows from other people and not have it phase me as much. These experiences have made me tougher and more ready for the real world, where everybody won't always be nice to you.
ReplyDeleteI really love this writing! I love the way you used expression by doing all caps on ALL!!
DeleteYeah I totally agree with what the person above me said! Great writing
DeleteI am thankful for all the people who said, "You can't." They helped me get to where I am today. I'm still no the way I want to look, but I'm closer and more motivated than I was before. The people who said, "You can't" fueled the flame in my heart to get me to how I look today.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful for the death of David Panzer. It taught me to live life to the fullest, and to appreciate everyone and everything, because it could all be gone in a split second.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful for my mean second grade teacher. It taught me that even though some teachers may be mean, they are just tying to help you. Even if they give you one hundred math problems every night.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful for all the teachers I have had that do not know how to teach well. When I walk into a classroom knowing that I will not learn anything new that day, it reminds me to keep a positive attitude no matter what the situation. When I am sitting in a class, listening to the teacher go off track for 15 minutes on something stupid, it teaches me to find new things to learn in any situation and to teach myself whenever possible.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful for the sore legs, bruises, and backaches. They are a constant reminder of how much I want it. How hard I have worked for this. How proud I am to be apart of something bigger, better. A team.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a motivational poster, nice.
DeleteI'm thankful for being bad at somethings so I know what to get better at and how to improve. When I was weak and could not lift much I worked hard to get better and stronger
ReplyDeleteI am thankful of my dog's death. It made me think of all the good memories we had together. It makes smile but also sad because he left to early. I never got to say goodbye to him.This made me realize how quickly life can end. That me me appreciate that my life has not ended and neither has my family's.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful for my father even though he's a pain in my butt. I learned that people are going to challenge you, put you in a tough position and can be rude, but also can be some of the nicest people in the world. I learned that just because you don't get along with someone all the time doesn't mean you can't love them any less. This lesson made me realize how much i love and appreciate him.
ReplyDelete