What Are You Thankful For?

By Victoria Sananikone, Assistant Editor

Picture your Thanksgiving break. Not only do you get to escape the dorms and the classrooms, you are granted a halt to the stresses of school and are welcomed back to a refuge of home cooked meals and fireside warmth. You come back to a home with a smell that instantly overwhelms you with security, and you choke back tears at the sight of a bed with comfort is unlike any other. An ecstatic dog who has been wondering where their person has been all this time attempts to tackle you to the ground in a fit of excitement, while the cat simply rubs its body against your leg and purrs from the happiness of your return. The aroma of a steaming turkey invades your nostrils, which triggers your salivation glands, in turn, sending your brain a message that your stomach may have to be pumped after you are finished with this meal. Of course, this is not the scenario that everyone faces, but for those of us who are fortunate enough to return home to our families for Thanksgiving break, we should truly be thankful.

This year, I find myself extra thankful for all that I have. I am thankful for parents who love and support me more than anyone in this world. I am thankful to take part in a sport at a prestigious university while receiving a top-notch education. I am thankful for my coaches, my teammates, and my friends, people who have impacted my life in some form and have helped me grow in so many different ways. It is important to realize the things that you are thankful for. There are certainly some people in this world who do not think there is anything good enough in their lives worthy of being thankful for, but I believe that there is something for every single person on this planet to be thankful for, whether they believe it or not. These things can be the simplest of things. That song that lovingly reminds you of your mother, be thankful you listen to it. The cashmere sweater that prompts people to comment on how it brings out the blue in your eyes, be thankful you own it. To the store clerk who helps you carry your groceries to your car, be thankful for their generosity. For the sun that rises and sets, be thankful for its light and warmth. And for those who are reading this and cannot think of a single thing to be thankful for, be thankful that you are alive. It is the time of year that reminds us how much this life is worth living, waking up every morning with the ability to breathe and experience new things with the people we love.

To all the McKendree students, be thankful for this university. It may be small, but it is compiled of professors who truly desire to see us succeed. It may be old, but history crawls within the cracks of Old Main and sits in the archives waiting to be found. It may have Wifi so weak you want to repeatedly bang your face into the wall, but at least we have access to the internet. It may be dry, but at least our reputation is not that of a constantly intoxicated one. We may be D2, but we have the strength, the skill and the ferocity within our athletics to have talent equivalent to that of a D1 college. This university is undoubtedly a unique one, so be thankful that you have the privilege to call yourself a Bearcat.

Photo by: Victoria Sananikone