The Holiday season is filled with so much hustle and bustle (and not enough mistletoe) that anytime taken to count one’s blessings is a swell thing. I’ve always loved this time of year for so many reasons; decadent hot chocolates, Mooney’s terriers, and the small joy of finding a favorite christmas ornament at the bottom of a dusty old storage box (the pile of ice at the end of my driveway, not so much.)

After tracing our hands to create turkeys with the kids I babysit, we wrote things we were thankful for in the fingers. I started to write down the basics, food, shelter, clothes when I looked over at what they had written. Needless to say, I was floored with their simple creativity. Things like ‘mom’s high fives’ and ‘dad’s pancakes’ were what they had thought about. I realized that even though I need to be grateful for all of the blessings in my life, I spend a lot of time with selfish reflection.

As finals quickly approach this year, it’s important to (well, study) breathe and reflect a little. Whatever holiday you celebrate, or no holiday at all, take sometime to ponder about things that you are grateful for that don’t involve you. Sometimes, the biggest blessings are the ones that belong to other people. Here are a few of my favorites

-Amara Lipsey’s speedy recovery from her ACL surgery to hit a last second shot that brought the AHS student section to their feet

-John Topf’s knack at finding the best deals on candles, it’s a skill.

-Jared Coleman’s killer ability to silence a crowd of dozens of Ames High Students during a coffee house with a guitar riff

-Dr. Avise’s half-smile-wink that he gives to so many students as they slide into the building that let’s them know someone is excited to see them

-Chelte’s hugs are the best in the world, anyone that receives one knows exactly what kind of magic I’m talking about

-Naomi Bratsch-Prince dresses on point and always finds ways to incorporate a scarf into a killer outfit

-Ben Sulzberger does so much behind the scenes work for Ames High Student Council and AHS Shout and doesn’t get nearly enough credit for it, elect that kid for president folks

-Mr. Linn always plays the piano for a choir student’s birthday; if you think about it, some kids may not be sung to otherwise, thanks for looking out Mr. Linn

Think of some of your own? Jot it down on a thank you note and slip it into the hand of someone unexpecting. I guarantee you’ll make their day. Maybe you’ll be the thing that gets them through finals, and that in itself, is also an easy gift to give. Thank you, Ames High, for being a beautiful mess of a blessing yourself. *licks envelope*