Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, apple pie; I can’t wait for Thanksgiving! With this day comes a long-awaited and much-needed break from hard work at school, delicious food, and time spent with family and friends, all so we can take a moment to be thankful for what we may normally take for granted.

So what am I thankful for this Thanksgiving? We get asked this every year in school since preschool and we throw back the same answers that we’ve been taught to say: family, friends, food on the table. But do you really think about what you’re thankful for?

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my food on the plate, but even more, I am thankful for the people who raised the food. I am thankful for the farmers whose lives go into providing for America so that they can provide for their own families. Farmers start their days before the sun goes up and do not go home until much after the sun has left the sky. They must work around the many problems farming runs into. The flood may have ruined their crops or took some of their animals’ lives. The preceding drought might have caused restless nights and countless headaches, trying to figure out how to grow the hay to feed the cows or yield enough crops. These farmers have watched the prices fluctuate, more often not in their favor, and have worried whether or not their families could make it another year. These men and women are hard-working individuals who chose to take on the daunting, selfless task of farming. I am thankful for all they have done in providing us the necessities of life.

So when you are about to dive right into that delectable turkey (or whatever your family might eat) this Thanksgiving, take a moment to really think about what you’re thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Topanga McBride

Editor-in-Chief