236. The Hand

A Thanksgiving Day editorial 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 actually had to be thankful for. But she knew most of them would draw pictures of turkeys or tables with food. The teacher was shocked with the picture Douglas handed in ... a simple childishly drawn hand. But whose hand was it? The class was captivated by 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' desk and asked whose hand it was. "It's your hand, Teacher," he mumbled. She recalled that frequently at recess she had taken Douglas, a scrubby forlorn 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.