A Time for Thanksgiving

This article was sent to us by Natalie S., an eighth grader stationed in Texas. Do you have a story to share with your fellow military teens? Visit our writing page to find out how you can submit to Bloom!

I chose the topic of Thanksgiving for two reasons. One—it’s the holiday season. And two—as military teens, we might tend to focus on the negatives more than the positives.

We all have so many things to be thankful for, things we might not realize, even when they’re right in front of us. Sometimes in hard situations, like moving, going to new schools, losing someone, and more, good things can come. And sometimes you don’t realize what wonderful things you have before they’re gone.

I’ll tell you what I’m thankful for—my family, friends, church, school, Bloom, and so much more! But I realize that all of these things fall under the category of family and community. And as a military teen, you might not have your family close to you, or you might feel like you don’t quite fit into your community.

In those cases, I know that the holidays can be very hard for you. If you have a family member or friend that you miss, you can write them some letters and send them drawings and pictures—that way you’re still connected. If you are having a hard time processing things or are struggling, it will help if you maintain relationships with people you can turn to.

But, know that connection with people requires getting out of your comfort zone. Bonds can’t be formed with other people while always focusing on the past or on hard times. I’m speaking from experience—it does you no good if you cut yourself off from the world during difficult times. Everything started getting better for me once I found a community that was just right for me.

One last thing I want to share: remember that Thanksgiving wasn’t meant to be just a once-a-year event. You have so many things to be thankful for, and that pertains to the whole year!

Happy Holidays!

Let me know in the comments what you’re thankful for!