Being thankful ~ A Teen Girl’s Perspective

During this Thanksgiving season, we can all make sure we really take a look around to see all of the great things we are blessed with.


We will probably start thinking about how thankful we are for great people and things in our lives.

Mainly we can be thankful that we are alive to have new and fun experiences.

We can also be grateful we are heading toward pursuing our dreams and achieving success in our own lives, and because we are about to start really working toward making a difference in other people’s lives as we grow into young adulthood.

This November how about we let people in our lives know we appreciate them.

Here are examples of just who those people might be:

Our parents, guardians, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, godparents, teachers, administrators, school staff, bosses, co-workers, coaches, teammates, close friends, other family members, and anyone else who has a role in our lives.

And, while you are at it: Have a fantabulous Turkey Day! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Written by Danielle M. Biggs
High School Senior & Future College Student
Administrative Assistant & Trustee ~ Lifeline Foundation, Inc.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/. Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

"What great things would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?" (Chinese Proverb)

Photo Copyright: Choe Sang-Hun/The New York Times (Sept. 2010)

Not giving up because we know our determination will help us help others can often lead to realized success.

We may have heard the story of Cha Sa-soon, a 69-year-old South Korean woman who took the written portion of the driving test 960 times and finally passed it.

Thinking about it, we may shake our heads and wonder why she would even keep trying after about the fifth or sixth time.

A caring heart and love for her grandchildren were the driving forces that led “Grandma Cha Sa-soon” to be disciplined enough to wake up before sunrise for years, so she could study the driver’s test manual.

Ms. Cha wanted the independence to be able to drive her grandchildren on trips to the zoo and create lifelong memories they will probably talk about throughout their lives.

Unable to start fourth grade until the age of 15, and then having to drop out after only a few years; Ms. Cha’s limited formal education presented a challenge when taking the written segment of the driving test 949 times.

After the 950th attempt, Grandma Cha Sa-soon passed the written test and was then able to take the actual driving test.

Practice made permanent after the 960th try, when Ms. Cha passed the test.

Probably all of our lives we have heard the saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.”

Ms. Cha Sa-soon’s determination, discipline, hard work, and love for her grandchildren fueled her to take that slogan literally -- 960 times.

Think of the mountains we could move, obstacles we could hurdle over, conflicts we could peacefully resolve, and accomplishments we could achieve for ourselves and for others if we daily applied the same simple philosophies into all that we do both personally and professionally.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)