For Thanksgiving 2001, some of the fourth graders at Northlake Elementary School in our neighborhood took time to tell us, through essays and poetry, what they’re feeling this season. Although the children expressed more awareness of life and death than you might have expected from 10-year-olds a couple of months ago, September’s tragedy doesn’t seem to be overwhelming their lives: Most of their words reflect affection for their playmates and families, and trust in those who care for them – from moms and dads to teachers and policemen. They seem aware of how lucky we are to have shelter and protection, and they worry about others such as in homeless “because I know that they are cold and hungry.”

But they are also happy just to be children, to have horses to ride and televisions to watch. And they love their brothers and sisters even when “they go and mess up my room.” – Anne Davis Editor

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I am thankful for my friends because I help them, and we talk to each other and play with each other. I am thankful for cleaning because I keep stuff clean, and I keep my room clean. I am thankful for my mom because she loves me and she takes care of me. – Chewaine

The things I’m thankful for: I’m thankful for my dad, because he is always caring about me and he gives me things, and I’m thankful for my teacher because if I did not have a teacher I would not be able to learn things, and I’m thankful for the president and the government because if we did not have them, the world would be out of control. I’m thankful for the world, because if we did not have a world, we would not be alive. – Gabriel

I am thankful for my family because they are always there for me when I need them. I am thankful for being an American. I am thankful for myself because I love to help people. I am thankful to have a great family who can help me. I am thankful for my teacher because she helps me learn to add, to spell, and help me be the best I can be. I am thankful for my friends because they’re there for me when I need to talk to someone. I am thankful for my life because I have a good life. I am thankful for my principal because she’s there to solve my problems. I am thankful for my grandmother because she’s there to help me when my parents aren’t there. I am thankful for my school because I try to be the best I can be and try to reach my goal. I am thankful because I love my family, and they love me. I have the best family to be there for me. I am also proud to be an American to help to honor and love. – Amber

I’m thankful for my mom, who has supported me and loved me and who gave me life. My dad, who has let me know that it is important to work together. My teachers since Pre-K to fourth grade, because they have taught me all I’ll ever know, and they teach me so well.

I’m thankful for the police officers who have helped us survive all the tragic moments and the firefighters.

I’m thankful for my family, who has loved me and told me the truth about everything. And all supported me.

I’m thankful for my greatest grandmother, who is my great great grandmother, which rest in peace. She loved me so much. That’s what I’m thankful for. – Tania

I am thankful for my life. If I did not have a life, I will not know anybody. I am thankful for my mom, because if I did not have a mom she would not be helping me with the questions on my homework. I am thankful for my home. If I did not have a home, I will not sleep anywhere. I am thankful for my dad, because he helps me when I get very mad. I am thankful for my cousins because they make me happy. I am thankful for my aunts and uncles, because they give me stuff for my birthday, and they help us when we are moving and help my mom and dad to put on parties and Christmas and crusade. I am thankful for my brother and sister. If I didn’t have a brother or sister, I would be sad, and I would not have anybody to play with. I am thankful for my grandma, because she loves me. – Olive

I am thankful for being alive. It is a good thing because if I were dead, I would be nothing. I wouldn’t exist. I am thankful for being an American. I am thankful for being in a great school called Northlake Elementary. There is a great principal. That school is perfect. My teacher is even perfect.

My mom is very nice. She helps me when I have problems at school. I want to be just like her. I’m thankful for having a brother and sisters. I would do anything for them. They are kind, although they go and mess up my room. I still care for them. I’m thankful for having a house. If I did not have a house, I would be homeless like some other people.

I am thankful for having a dad. He taught me things like what is good or bad, and he teaches me how to play football.

I am thankful for having my aunt, because she buys me things when I need them badly. I am thankful the most for my grandparents. If it weren’t for them, my mom, my dad or my aunt wouldn’t be here today. – Kentari

I am thankful for my family because they take care of me, and they are very loving. I am very, very thankful for God. He is the one who made the world and us. Life, I say, is the most wonderful thing you can ask for.

I am so grateful for the firefighters and the police, because they help and save peoples’ lives every day. I am grateful for living in America because when 19 people hijacked those 4 planes just because they hate America, but when it happened, everybody started pulling together. I am also thankful for the nurses and doctors for taking care and healing people.

I am thankful for the inventors who made stuff like TVs because I could not live without them. I am very happy for all the things I have, but I know some people are less fortunate than me. I wish I could do something about it. – Unsigned

First of all, I am thankful for my life because if I didn’t have a life, I couldn’t do anything because then I would be dead. I am also thankful that I am not homeless or poor, because then I would have no money, no education, no house, and I would have to live on the streets. I am thankful that I live in the United States, because in other countries, there is not that much freedom, so there are a lot more things they can’t do.

Second of all, I am thankful that I have a family, because my family gives me a house to live in, and they give me food and water to drink. I am also thankful that I have an education, because it teaches me about the things that I am going to do when I get older. I am thankful that there are hospitals, because if we didn’t have any, people would get hurt, and they wouldn’t have any place to go. I am also thankful that I have firefighters and policemen because firefighters are the ones to put out fires and policemen are the one who fight crime and put criminals in jail.

I am thankful there is God, because if there was no god, there wouldn’t be any people. I am also thankful for inventors, too, because they are the people who made things I use today, like electricity for instance. – Jay

I am thankful for my parents because they love me and because they take care of me and make me feel better when I don’t feel good. I’m also thankful for my Bible, because it tells me what I am supposed to do and not do, and it’s just fun to read sometimes. Another thing I’m thankful for is President Bush, because he said that he will find out who made the plane crash into the World Trade Center so it won’t happen again. I am really thankful that I’m not homeless, because I know that they are cold and hungry and can die from being cold and hungry too long. I’m also thankful that I’m an American, because I don’t have to go under the fear people in Afghanistan have to go through just because they’re not Americans. Also I’m thankful that I have a neat teacher because she helps me understand things I don’t understand sometimes. The last thing I’m thankful for is God, because he protects us from evil people who want to hurt us. – Erin

Special thanks to Missy Barnes at Northlake Elementary.