Thankful for family, friends, school, snow, ….

As a college student it is often times difficult to be thankful for the position we’re in. The pressure of class work, exams, and planning for the unknown future is overwhelming. It is easy to be caught in this cycle of academic drudgery. However, when you think about it, we are young people that are significantly blessed. We all have the opportunity to earn a higher education. We have the opportunity to expand our horizons in ways that are unimaginable for some. We have the opportunity to be involved in clubs that spark our interests and spend our time getting to know people that are different from ourselves. College is a time of immense opportunity and is teeming with things to be thankful for.

As Thanksgiving approaches it is obvious that people become more aware of the many blessings in their lives. Being able to name these blessings is important. Personally, I am very thankful for the relationships I have through family and friends, coworkers, and classmates. And yes, I am very thankful for the recent weather change! I love snow. No matter what place I am in emotionally, when it snows, my mood is always lightened. Snow brings me back to my childhood when I would go and play in the snow after school for hours on end. Even now, I still try to catch snowflakes on my tongue. On Saturday night, a bunch of LCMers spent time together at Annie’s and then ventured out in the snow afterwards. Lindsey and I went skipping on the sidewalk as the snow fell. It was so freeing to have childlike fun again.

I invite you to “count the many blessings” in your life. There are so many things to be thankful for if you take a look. God has blessed each and every one of us with special gifts, talents, family, and friends to only name a few. Being able to recognize the beauty in His creation and thank Him is one of the best things!

Laura McDowell