‘Tis the season … of Thanksgiving. Most high school students look forward to this holiday, not for the true meaning behind it, but for a few extra days off of school and a whole lot of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and pie.

So I want to take you back in time – to where it all started – in the good ol’ days of the Pilgrims and Native Americans. No, this isn’t a history lesson. But think back to the first Thanksgiving. It was 1621 and the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared a harvest together. This meal wasn’t just a meal, it was a sign of the Indians’ giving nature and acceptance. I know that if I had been in their position, I wouldn’t want to be giving my food to people who were trying to take my land. Anyway, the colonists were thankful. As Americans, we’ve always remembered that day.

But now, it has turned into a commercialized holiday full of dancing turkeys and Christmas shopping specials. It’s hard to find the true meaning, even when we were all taught it in elementary school.

So I want you to take a few minutes to think, or even write a list, of what you are thankful for in your life. Not the material things – although we all need to know not to take them for granted – but for the things that make your live amazing and unique and the people who have made you who you are today.

My family would be the first on my list. They have always been there for me. No matter what. Even when I feel negative toward myself, my family is always there to love and care for me. I don’t tell them enough, but I am so thankful for them.

I would also put my friendships high on the list. Because, like they always say, you can’t choose your family, but you can choose your friends. And if I could do it all over again – start fresh with the opportunity of having different friends – I wouldn’t change a thing. My friends are the people who I can always count on for anything and who know me better than I know myself. Old friends and new friends, I hope they all know how much they truly mean to me.

Sometimes things are too important to be ranked on a list. Woven through every aspect of my life is my faith. I know that no matter what, it is stronger than any one person or material item, and I always have something I can rely on. I am so thankful for it and for how it has changed my life for the better.

I could go on. Could you? What are you thankful for in your life? If it’s a person, tell them. Write them a letter letting them know how much they mean to you, or just tell them in person.

If you don’t know, don’t just shrug this off. Really dig into who you are as a person and look for the blessings you have in your life. Everyone has a reason to give thanks. What’s yours?