摘要：
Preface:Thanksgivingisatimetoexpressgratitudeandgivethanksforalltheblessingswehaveinou... Preface:
Thanksgivingisatimetoexpressgratitudeandgivethanksforalltheblessingswehaveinourlives.Itisatimetogatherwithlovedonesandshareinthejoysoftheseason.However,foroneyoungboy,Thanksgivingwouldbecomealessoninlearninghowtotrulybethankful.MeetJack,ayoungboywholivedinasmalltownwithhisparents.Jackhadalwaysbeenabitofatroublemaker,oftengettingintomischiefandcausinghisparentstoworry.ButasThanksgivingapproached,Jack’sparentsdecideditwastimeforhimtolearnavaluablelesson.Jack’sparentssathimdownandexplainedthatThanksgivingwasmorethanjustadaytoeatlotsoffoodandwatchfootball.Itwasadaytogivethanksforallthegoodthingsinlifeandtoshowappreciationforthosewhohadhelpedyoualongtheway.
Atfirst,Jackdidn’tunderstandwhathisparentsweretalkingabout.Hethoughthehadeverythingheneededanddidn’tseewhyheneededtobethankfulforanythingelse.ButhisparentsweredeterminedtoteachhimthetruemeaningofThanksgiving.TheydecidedtotakeJacktoalocalsoupkitchenwheretheyvolunteeredtheirtimeeachyear.Jackwashesitantatfirst,butoncehearrived,herealizedhowmuchneedtherewasinhiscommunity.Familieswerelinedupoutsidewaitingforawarmmeal,childrenplayingintheparkinglotwhiletheirparentswaitedinline.Jack’sparentsputhimtoworkservingmealsandclearingtables.Hewatchedaspeoplewithwornoutclothesandtiredfacessmiledgratefullyatthehotmealtheyweregiven.Jackbegantounderstandthathehadmuchtobethankfulforinhislife.Aftertheyfinishedserving,JackandhisparentssatdowntoeattheirownThanksgivingmeal.Butsomethingwasdifferentthisyear.Jackfeltasenseofgratitudeandappreciationhehadneverfeltbefore.Hewasthankfulfortheroofoverhishead,theclothesonhisback,andthefoodinhisbelly.
Overthenextfewdays,Jack’sparentscontinuedtoteachhimabouttheimportanceofgratitude.Theyencouragedhimtowritedownallthethingshewasthankfulforeachday,nomatterhowsmalltheymayseem.Jackbegantotakenoticeofthelittlethingsinlifethathehadtakenforgranted.Thewarmthofthesunonhisface,thelaughterofhisfriends,thesmelloffreshbakedcookiesfromhisgrandmother’skitchen.AsThanksgivingapproached,Jack’sparentsaskedhimtothinkaboutsomeonewhohadmadeapositiveimpactonhislife.Theyencouragedhimtowritealetterofthankstothisperson,expressinghisgratitudeandappreciation.Jackthoughtlongandhardaboutwhohewouldwriteto.Finally,hedecidedonhisteacher,Mrs.Johnson.Shehadalwaysencouragedhimtodohisbest,evenwhenhewasbeingdifficultinclass.
Jackwroteaheartfeltletter,thankingMrs.Johnsonforallshehaddoneforhim.Heexpressedhisgratitudeforherpatienceandunderstanding,andfornevergivinguponhim.WhenThanksgivingarrived,Jack’sparentsaskedhimtosharehisletterwiththefamily.Ashereaditaloud,tearswelledupinMrs.Johnson’seyes.ShehuggedJacktightly,tellinghimhowproudshewasofhim.ThatThanksgivingwasoneofthebestJackhadeverexperienced.Helearnedthatgivingthankswasn’tjustaboutsayingthewords,butabouttrulyfeelinggratefulforwhatyouhadinlife.Overtheyears,Jackcontinuedtopracticegratitudeinhisdailylife.Hemadeaconsciousefforttoshowappreciationforthosearoundhimandtonevertakethegoodthingsinlifeforgranted.
Now,asagrownmanwithafamilyofhisown,Jackcarriesthatlessonwithhimeveryday.Heinstillsthevalueofgratitudeinhischildren,teachingthemtogivethanksforalltheblessingsintheirlives.ThelessonofThanksgivingisonethatweallcanbenefitfrom.Itremindsustotakeamomenttoreflectonallthegoodthingswehaveinourlivesandtoappreciatethepeoplewhomakeourlivesbetter.It’seasytogetcaughtupinthehustleandbustleofdailylife,butbytakingafewmomentseachdaytoexpressgratitude,wecanfindhappinessandcontentmentineventhesmallestthings.Thanksgivingmayonlycomeonceayear,butthelessonsitteachesuscanbecarriedwithusthroughoutourlives.It’saboutmorethanjustfoodandfootball–it’saboutshowinggratitudeforallthegoodthingsinourlivesandsharingthatgratitudewiththosearoundus.
AsyougatherwithyourlovedonesthisThanksgiving,takeamomenttoreflectonalltheblessingsinyourlife.Showappreciationforthosewhohavehelpedyoualongthewayandtakethetimetoexpressyourgratitude.ThelessonofThanksgivingisonethatcanchangeyourperspectiveonlife.Itcanremindyouthatthereisalwayssomethingtobethankfulfor,eveninthedarkestoftimes.SothisThanksgiving,remembertogivethanksforallthegoodthingsinyourlife.Showappreciationforthosearoundyouandnevertakethegoodthingsforgranted.Letthelessonofgratitudeshapeyourlifeandbringyouhappinessandcontentment.
