It is right around this season or time of year that folks of all ages come to gather and give thanks for all they have. The Thanksgiving National Holiday came about almost 200 years after 1621 when the Plymouth Colonists and the Wampanoag Indians enjoyed festivities together over a large meal. Since it became a nationwide holiday, people gather every year on the fourth Thursday of November to celebrate Thanksgiving. However, not everyone remembers the real reason for the season. We may use it as a day out of the year to join together to be thankful for the many things in our lives, but we forget that we should be thankful all year long—not just on that one day out of the year.

I’m a Hallmark, movie junkie. During this time of year, Hallmark comes out with some mushy holiday classics that I just can’t get enough of. Really, I’m an obsessed, would get cable just for a holiday, Hallmark movie fan. Okay, squirrel moment over! One of the movies was about a family who tried living beyond their means. The husband lost his job, and everything spiraled downhill from there. The kids were spoiled little brats who spent their parent’s money like it was toilet paper. Anyway, the family lost their home and ended up in a pay-by-week- motel and had to get food from a food pantry. The kids had to live completely different than what they were accustomed.

At that moment, tears fell on my face, and I looked towards my husband. I asked him if he remembered, and he said “yes.” My husband and I went through the very same thing that these folks in the movie did. He had also lost his job, and we struggled to find any way possible to make the rent, bills, and such. My kids didn’t know a thing. We wore a façade for them every day that we struggled. My husband did the food pantry thing for us. Our insurance sent us winter clothes from the consignment stores.

We knew the struggle. No one else around us did.

Although that time was painful for us, my husband and I never showed anyone that we were trying ‘to make ends meet.’ You couldn’t tell from the smiles on our faces. Eventually, we moved from that pit and came out stronger. We learned how thankful we should be for everything we have. We are thankful everyday—for our family, friends, hand-me-downs, first purchases, the meal we eat (whether it’s a sandwich or rice with a fried egg on top), everything. The Salvation Army helped our family out so much that we always make sure to donate when we see those happy people ringing that bell. We donate to the homeless all the time, foster families, and assist whenever we can.

That is the true meaning of Thanksgiving for us.

It isn’t a time to celebrate only once a year. This is a time that we should remember everything we have been blessed with as we do the other 364 days out of the year. My kids heard our story and are grateful for all they have. Not a lot of children say the same thing. Most kids expect the good lifestyle. When they saw that movie, coupled with our own story, our kids showed a much deeper meaning of being thankful. How many kids out there would give up their gifts to foster a family for the holidays? Mine do. There are loads to be thankful for this holiday season. Don’t just use one day out of the year to celebrate.

Celebrate all year long.

Happy Thanksgiving!