Our nation has a history of thanking and then conveniently forgetting when we see something we want. Underneath all our speeches and rhetoric, we often forget to give thanks. I thought I should express the ways I have seen SIUC students and faculty demonstrate gratefulness that the rest of our nation would do well to examine. Gratefulness is found in the sigh of relief from a tired student who has just been granted an extension on a huge research paper by an equally exhausted professor. Gratefulness is found in the smile of a student who has a stranger hold open a door when the student has his or her hands full.
Gratefulness is found in the embrace of friends that have reconciled after a pithy argument.
Gratefulness is found when a parent picks up his or her child and embraces him or her for the first time after a long, hard day. Thankfulness surrounds us constantly. But there are other angels that do not get the thanks they deserve. It is found when people cook our food and all we can do is complain about the way it turned out. It is found in the stressed out resident assistants that look after the constant needs of students.