Believing in love

Love can be hard to find. Amanda Palkowski, 20, is grateful to spend the holidays with her fiancé, who recently moved here from New Jersey.

They were online friends for two years before he came to meet her last February. It was an emotional day for her, because he happened to arrive on the same day as her grandma’s funeral, but she said he was still a blessing.

“As soon as I saw him, I was OK,” she said.

He taught her how to believe and have hope.

“I believe in love, that it is possible,” she said. “He came to me during my loss.”

The wedding will be this February, a year from when they met. She said looks forward to telling their children the story of how they met.

College and a bright future

Leda Veliaj, 21, is thankful for education and its possibilities. She knows it will reap rewards.

“By studying and working hard at it, it will get me somewhere,” she said. “I really want to become somebody someday.”

She envisions a wonderful job and a family, or “the great life that I have always dreamt of.”

Givers of life

Rory Kelsch, 23, believes God blesses everyone, although people need to seek God to fully understand him. He said Jesus’ earthly life was admirable and he is grateful for that life.

“He knew people would not seek him, but he still lived life for us,” he said.

Kelsch is also thankful for his mother.

“She has loved me my whole life, even though I have done bad things,” he said.

He said she displays this love by showing interest in his life. He returns it by doing the same for her and encouraging her.

Wisdom, among other things

There is no such thing as too much gratitude. Aaron Henning, 24, listed family, friends, life lessons and God.

He said his friends offer him support and advice. He has known his best friend since they were 3 and said they probably had the best times together when they goofed around as kids.

He also is thankful for wisdom, such as knowing not to regret your past.

“Even if you do something stupid, you can learn from it,” he said.

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