As Thanksgiving approaches this November, Americans across the United States have the chance to think about what they are thankful for. From money to love, almost everyone can find something in their lives to be grateful for. This year, Evan McLennan, an Ashland High School tenth grader, is thankful for his family.
McLennan is thankful for his family partly because he knows a lot of people don’t have the best situations at home. McLennan finds happiness in being engaged at home. “I just think we get along really well,” said McLennan about his family. This is amazing considering he has five siblings, four of whom are adopted. McLennan is the second oldest child, with an older brother that is seventeen years old and four younger siblings, the youngest of whom is ten. Every other year for Thanksgiving, his parents and siblings go down to their Aunt’s house in California to spend time with their extended family.
“[I’m] not really ever bored. There’s always something to do,” said McLennan. He likes having so many siblings, though he admits it can be both frustrating and confusing at times. Despite the conflicts that siblings inevitably have with each other and their parents, McLennan enjoys the benefits of a large family as well. Having so many siblings creates a support system that is very important to him. He can go to his older brother for help and likewise his younger siblings can go to him for that same helping hand. He is able to provide support and be supported, which, to him, produces a very fun environment. This is unique considering how boring many teenagers find their families, no matter how thankful they are for them.
The sort of “team” that McLennan is a part of with his family is also the sort of team he is grateful for in sports. He plays basketball and baseball, and loves being part of the large group of individuals that these events bring together.
McLennan says that if he could help someone be thankful for something this time of year, he would tell them to be thankful for what they have, because when one puts things in perspective, usually one has a lot more to celebrate than it first appears. Things like friends and family, for example, or any other sources of support or happiness are sometimes taken for granted. Thanksgiving is, after all, the best time of year to give thanks for the things one has.