Teen Talk
Beyond Blessings
By Madison Dalton
As fall begins in south Florida, thoughts of pumpkin pie, football, and turkey dinners fill the air, which—if we’re lucky—will drop down to record lows of 70 degrees or so. We view November as a time to embrace the change of seasons and fill up on fall food, football, and—of course—family. At the end of the month, we set aside time to count our blessings—a term that has become nearly synonymous with “all of those things we take for granted in daily life”. We, at our worst, completely forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving as we stuff ourselves with stuffing and, at our best, smile happily at the thought of all the aspects of existence that make our lives just a little bit easier.
But, this year, I think it is about time we started considering what it truly means to be blessed—what elements of life truly deserve our reverence and thanks. For me, this means considering everything that constitutes the one piece of life I have control over: myself. And as I began to ponder this idea, I realized that I was just as much a product of all the “blessings” I have been granted throughout my lifetime as I am a result of each and every hardship I have ever faced. If anything, such hardships did more to build my character than any gift ever did.
It was the factors that made life hard that taught me to smile, not because of good circumstances, but because of a good attitude. It is such hardships that made me appreciate loved ones, not because I knew what it was to keep, but because I knew what it meant to lose. They taught me to work hard, because of the knowledge that we have control over nothing but our own virtues. To face the dawn with hope, not because each day has always been easy, but because there have been plenty of days that genuinely hurt. And to love and cherish each and every moment of each and every day due to the notion that it will all very soon come to an end.
I can definitely see the value in taking a day to honor all we have been given. But this Thanksgiving, I think I’m going to take the time to appreciate all of the values I have had to fight for. And then to continue fighting, long after November ends.
Madison Dalton is Junior at Wellington High School. She is an editor of her school’s online newspaper, WHSWave.com. She is also an officer on her school’s debate team, National Honors Society, and community service club, Key club. Madison’s hobbies include writing, running, and drawing. She aspires to be an author and professional artist.