A Thanksgiving Day editorial(社论，时评) in the newspaper told of a school teacher who asked her class of first graders to draw a picture of something they were thankful for. She thought of how little these children from poor neighborhoods(贫困地区) actually had to be thankful for. But she knew that most of them would draw pictures of turkeys or tables with food. The teacher was taken aback(吃了一惊) with the picture Douglas handed in … a simple childishly drawn hand.
But whose hand? The class was captivated by(被迷住) the abstract image. “I think it must be the hand of God that brings us food,” said one child. “A farmer,” said another, “because he grows the turkeys.” Finally when the others were at work, the teacher bent over Douglas’s desk and asked whose hand it was. “It’s your hand, Teacher,” he mumbled(咕哝着说).
She recalled that frequently at recess(在休息时间) she had taken Douglas, a scrubby(矮小的) forlorn(孤立无助的) child by the hand. She often did that with the children. But it meant so much to Douglas. Perhaps this was everyone’s Thanksgiving, not for the material things given to us but for the chance, in whatever small way, to give to others.