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Friday, 27 November 2009 |
The holiday season is upon us... What TRAV has to say about it.
By TRAVIS A. RUIZ
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Thanksgiving Day, a tradition that spans hundreds of years... but have we really kept it?
My answer... No.
We are all caught up with ourselves and we pretend to give thanks on this day for a moment. Too bad it can't last longer and seem more meaningful.
And why do we have to allocate a specific day to give "thanks." Shouldn't we be giving thanks every day?
This is society's number one problem... We take everything for granted but try to make up for it with one day a year. We do it with Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day and countless other days. Yes, it's great to have a holiday for these things but all other 364 days of the year should also be used to celebrate those things.
Back to Thanksgiving... what does this word mean?
"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action." -W.J. Cameron
I saw this quote and I immediately liked it. While we may be giving thanks, lets remember to give. Like W.J. Cameron said, it is a word of action.
For the Thanksgiving holiday, I came home to celebrate with family. Isn't it great to spend time with family and loved ones? It's really what the holidays are about!
Home is something that I truly treasure. I love Guymon and everything about it. I brought home a good friend of mine who I go to school with at WTAMU in Canyon, Texas. He seems to really like our little city and he said it explains a lot about me... (Good things, I hope... haha) Thanks to my grandma for amazing food, as always! :)
I love the fact that I can go almost anywhere and I know tons of people everywhere. I love our small town atmosphere and just the community feeling. Everyone is truly nice and genuine. (mostly... haha)
I also have to say that if you must bring a toddler to a movie, please hold them down! I went to a movie and there was a toddler roaming around the theatre that was very distracting. It was very frustrating as I was trying to enjoy my movie! Rude.
As Christmas nears, I am growing more and more excited. I cannot explain how much I love Christmas and everything about it. I love the weather, the lights, the smells, the laughter, and the family. I am excited to be back in Guymon for almost a month!
The holidays have started... it is the most wonderful time of year!!! Lets enjoy it and help those who need our help.
I traveled to Austin last week for the National Broadcasting Society conference (in which I'm proud to report to everyone that my school won the most awards!) On the way back from Austin, we stopped to eat at McDonald's in Brownwood, Texas and one of the employee's children was there while her mom was working. I assume she did this every day because she had her homework there and acted like this was completely normal. She was about ten years old and was going through a catalogue. She pointed at a few items and motioned for her mom to come to her. She told her mom that the item she was pointing at was exactly what she wanted for Christmas. Her mother snapped at her and exclaimed that she did not have any money to buy her anything for Christmas and not to ask her again. The girl's eyes filled with tears.
This broke my heart.
What was she going to tell her friends at school when they ask her what she got for Christmas? How would she feel when her friends all received glorious gifts and she got nothing? I cannot imagine.
We hear about stories like this all the time, but never had I actually experienced this first hand. Growing up, my parents always teased me about not getting Christmas presents but I always knew that they weren't serious. It hurts me soo much to know that some kids are not fortunate or lucky enough to experience receiving anything on Christmas. I know Christmas is not all about receiving presents but it's so sad to see some children not receive anything at all. If I could have given that young girl a present right then and there, I would have. She will always be on my mind this holiday season. It made me so thankful for everything that I've ever received. It made me so glad that I help with organizations such as the Eveline River's Christmas project in Amarillo. She has one of the most amazing charities. She gives presents and coats to thousands of young, Panhandle children. It made me proud to know that I make a difference every week when I go to her shop to help.
Let us all be thankful for what we have and to try to help others. It's what the holiday season is truly about. Give something to help others. Give back.
This holiday season, I am thankful for so much and I hope you are too. THANKS for reading! :)
And that's how Trav C's it.
The views and opinions expressed in "Totally Trav" are those of Travis and do not necessarily reflect those of The Guymon Daily Herald or any other entity therein. Travis, a Guymon native, is a contributing writer for The Guymon Daily Herald while he attends college as a broadcast news major at West Texas A&M University. "Totally Trav" can be read weekly
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 13 April 2010 )
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