It’s that time of year again..you know, when we are called to pause, gather, eat, maybe watch a little football or do some crafts and..give thanks. Pausing to think of everything we have to be thankful for is actually energizing. Pausing to think of everything we wish we had drains our creative energy. Pausing to think of how the little we have towers above what some have and are thankful for produces humility. Giving to others in need without regard to ourselves is powerful. This kind of giving includes time, money and talents. We do this everyday when we enter our art classroom. We are giving and most of the time, not expecting much in return. We are seeking out better ways to reach troubled students. We are cleaning out palettes and sorting markers long after most of the other teachers have gone home. We have little time, sometimes, for our own art making, but when we, as Einstein put it, “awaken the joy in creative expression and knowledge,” in the hearts and minds of those we teach, perhaps that is the best reason of all to give thanks.