Here at St. Benedict Classical Academy, we focus on a new virtue every month. The virtue we are studying as a school for the month of November is Gratitude. Gratitude can be defined in many different ways. One definition that I shared with my students is that gratitude is rejoicing in what is, and also being thankful for the gift of life and the gifts in life. I gave my students time to reflect on this virtue. I also brought them to our school chapel and had the students thank God for these gifts. 

I then asked a few students if they would be willing to share some of the gifts in their lives for which they felt gratitude. The following are some of their responses:

• I feel gratitude for my friends, my family, a good school, my teachers, the Mass, and a hard working dad.
• I feel gratitude for my friends, my family, food, nature, my brain, technology, and the Mass.
• I have gratitude for having free will. 
• I feel gratitude for my family, God, my life, that God is kind to us, that there is such a thing as prayer, and how I can go to Church.
• I feel gratitude for all of the yummy food I have and a lovely home. Also learning at school and being able to go to a Catholic school. Getting to go to Mass and having a Chapel. Learning how to receive Holy Communion and going to Confession and cleaning our souls.
• I feel gratitude that we have the safety of the Navy and the Army. What a great sacrifice God gave us!
• I am grateful for having food and clean water and being allowed to talk about God and faith and virtues at school. 
• I have gratitude for food so that I can live, life and my family, friends to be with, Saints to pray to and more!

Author: Finlay Cushen, 3rd Grade Teacher