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Last Wednesday, my small group from church had a Thanksgiving meal potluck. Since I love my small group and also love almost all of the typical Thanksgiving foods, I was really looking forward to it. The meal did not disappoint, and we all enjoyed a great time of food and fellowship. The next day, we had our annual Thanksgiving meal at school. This is one of the best meals the lunchroom serves all year, and the fact that it coincides with the 5th grade's living history museum of the 13 American colonies makes it even more fun. Last night, my roommate hosted a big "Friendsgiving" at our house and there was once again a large feast. Tomorrow, I'll celebrate on actual Thanksgiving with my family in Florida and then happily eat leftovers for a few days as well.
I was thinking about how many times I will enjoy eating Thanksgiving foods over these two weeks, and I was struck by the fact that for some of our students, that lunchroom version of Thanksgiving might be the only feast they have related to the holiday. While that certainly won't the case for most of the children, there are probably a few who won't do or eat anything special tomorrow. Perhaps their family cannot afford a luxurious feast, or perhaps their parents did not grow up in the United States and don't understand this custom.
And even though this thought is sobering, I love that about my school. I love that we have children of mixed economic levels, backgrounds, cultures, and races. I love that children from very wealthy backgrounds go to the same school with students who receive free or reduced lunch. And I love that we can offer them all a safe, loving environment to learn and grow... and eat Thanksgiving feasts once a year. :) In this season of gratitude, I'm especially thankful for the privilege of working in a place like this.
