Thanks & Giving

My car broke down this morning. I was about a half block from school. Thankfully I saw that my friend Jake was just headed out from his house and I called him on his cell to come help me out. I was even more thankful that he actually accepted to come help me out and look like a goober with me on the side of the road while we tinkered around. Then my friend Cassie pulled up to help us push the car to the side of the road so it wasn't in the way.

Yesterday in English we made a list of the things we were thankful for and I did not put friends. I thought of the three primary people that I hang out with and I curled my lip. I help them out all the time with homework, actual work, I answer the phone at ungodly hours just in case it's important (which it never is), and I run errands for them or run them around town. I get nothing in return. I was very not thankful for them. But today I look at Cassie and Jake who have helped me while my car was being uncooperative. They didn't have to help me. It was cold out and we were all three going to very late for our first period government class (something neither of us could really afford). But they did help.

Then I think about Jeff, who let me borrow his physics lab sheet. The entire class had done theirs wrong unbeknownst to me and Jeff had redone his during a free period. Out of the goodness of his heart he let me use his sheet so I didn't get a failing grade and I didn't have to figure out the pulleys by myself. I then let Sarah and Kendra borrow that sheet of paper and today both of them helped me out with a problem in the book I didn't get.

Then I think about each and every person in my class who has ever helped me out. Each person has either given me a paper I was missing, picked something up for me, drove me somewhere, held my books while I was getting something else, or helped me put on my jacket when I only had one free hand. I am thankful for them. I am thankful for all the other 25 members of my senior class (I know, small class). While making that list for English I never took into account that the people I don't generally count as friends, because I'm not around them as often as I am around my real "friends", are really who I am thankful for. I help them with assignments, give them ride, pick them up things, and answer their phone calls to tell them assignments or which day it's going to be and, in turn, they do the same for me. Our friendship is reciprocated. Every hug is given back, every tear shed is shared, and every single paper I've ever borrowed for a class is definitely in exchange for something else. I am thankful for Hunter, Tyler, Breanna, Austin G, Justine, Jordan, KayLa, Brittany, Brittney, Kalla, Kendra, Jake, Cassie, Shadoe, Austin W, Brandon, Juan, Nolan, Jeff, Abbie, Ricky, Nick, Josh, Chris, and Ryan.

On the giving side of things (as it is that time of year, eh?), my government teacher has assigned a "random act of kindness" project to the senior class. I have chosen to send three letters to three random people I have chosen from the phone book (I am thinking these three people will be my principal, the study hall teacher, and one of my friend's mothers). These letters will be of thanks for things and to build the person up. It's the holidays, right?

This also reminds me that I must still purchase a gift for Cassie and my friend's step-dad. I want to draw my brother's gift this year. I'm thinking him in his army digi get up out in the desert. While he's never been to Iraq he really wished he could have gone while he was still in the Guard. I got my dad a book, my friend's mom a set of candles, my friend a set of colored pencils (she's always taking mine without permission), necklaces for two other friends, and a bottle of lotion for another. I just may have to buy Jakey one as well now to pay him back for his services. Any tips on what to get a boy? He's your typical farm boy--not too much is fancy about him and he likes country, old rock, and metal music. He laughs about pretty much anything and is an amazing writer (something he doesn't tell a lot of people and he probably doesn't practice a lot). He's got talent, but I'm not sure if I were to get him a nice notebook if he would really use it. If you have any tips, let me know.