I am Grateful!
by Alex from Signing Time
Last January I went to the city of Accra in Ghana, Africa. I felt thankful for things I had never really thought about before. In Accra, there isn’t a good trash removal system. Instead, people put their garbage in a bag, set it on the street, and set fire to it. All the fires made the air smoky. I realized how thankful I was for a garbage system and clean air. Where we stayed in Ghana, if I wanted a hot shower, I took water from the well (the water was not so clean), boiled it on the stove, put the hot water in the tub, scooped the water out with a cup, and poured it on my head. I was so thankful for that hot “shower.” I felt thankful that at home it is easier to shower.
The children at the deaf school near Accra only had two outfits to wear—school clothes and play clothes. They have to have their hair shaved off while they are in school. They didn’t really have toys to play with, but they had tons of fun on a field with tall weeds and dirt playing soccer. These kids were happy. They didn’t have a lot of the things I have, but they were thankful for everything they have. I realized that I was so lucky to have so many things, and that I could be happy even without those things.
So, since it is getting close to Thanksgiving, I want to share with you some of the things I feel thankful for today.
I am thankful for:
• My family
• Clean air, garbage system, and clean water
• Friendships
• My home
• A good school
• Music lessons
• My Health
• My church
• My country
• Signing Time
I hope you will take time to count your blessings and be thankful.
so amazing!! we are blessed and you are so lucky to realize that at such a young age. keep us smiling alex!
What a beautiful reminder of things to be grateful for. We take so much for granted!
Alex, We love you in our family. We watch you and Leah at least fifteen times a day. Thank you for being such a great example to my kids. They all look up to you and love you!
Sandi Benson
Thanks so much for sharing this message Alex. I hope that others can learn such a humble message without having to go all the way to Africa! We’re trying to teach our daughter such simplicity already.
Happy Thanksgiving.
American’s are so lucky, we have so much to be grateful for. I am thankful for my family, my health and my freedom.
I want to thank the lord, my God for loving me just the way I am, and teaching me to accept changes, and learning to be strong and teaching my children to be happy with what we have. But most of all for spoiling me in having a place to live, food on the table, clean clothes to wear, and a warm bed at night.
Dear Alex, I love ‘Signing Time’, my 2 year old granddaughter has been learning from it for a while now. Before she could talk and even still now sometimes when we can’t understand a certain word she is trying to say she will sign it and then we know what she needs or wants. Thank you Alex to you and your family for teaching so many of us how to better communicate with one another. I too am thankful for all the things that you mentioned and am grateful to you for sharing them. Happy Thanksgiving!
Top notch write up. Continue to keep up the reliable performance.