Family Values: Being Grateful

          In my Social Studies class, we were all given an assignment to write about a family value and what it means to us. I chose being grateful. Check it out below:

          My family has many values, but being grateful is probably one of the most important. Being grateful means appreciating what you have, and not constantly wanting more. There are many things to be thankful for, and we should be able to recognize how well off we have it. One reason why being grateful is important is because there will almost always be a time in your life when things could be worse. My mom had to escape from a communist country when she was a little girl, and my dad was put in an orphanage at a very young age. Both my parents had pretty bad childhoods, but eventually, everything worked out fine. This brings me to my next reason; things will always work out, so just be grateful that it could be worse, but isn’t. After my mom escaped, she was sponsored by a church and reunited with her family. A nice couple that loves him and cares for him adopted my dad. They both ended up in America and fell in love, so don't you see? It will get better, so just be glad that it isn’t getting worse. Last but not least, being grateful is important because greed is the thing that drives people apart. Always wanting more than someone else, or even what you already have can cause fights, betrayal, carelessness, and corruption. For example, if someone was greatly obsessed with money, their thirst for more, more, more could drive them apart from family and friends, and make them very unpleasant to be around. It is better to appreciate what you have. My family uses this value daily, because we have so much to be grateful for. Food, friends, running water, a household, clean clothing, and a loving family are just a few of the many things to be thankful for. So, next time your parents say “NO” to that shirt that looks exactly like the one you already have, think about everything you have to be grateful for, and realize just how good you really have it.