We may not celebrate Thanksgiving like our American cousins. But that doesn't mean we can't take a moment to reflect and be thankful for the freedoms we are so blessed with here in ‘the lucky country'.

Education

[quote]Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world - Malala Yousafzai[/quote]

Next time you have a whine about ‘having to study' take a moment to think about Malala Yousafzai, a 16 year old Pakistani who was shot at point blank range by the Taliban for standing up and being the voice for the 31 million girls around the world who don't have access to education. Here in Australia everyone has access to education, you have the right to learn, to be a child and ultimately choose your own career path in an area that interests you.

Watch Malala's story here:

 Health

[quote]The greatest wealth is Health -Unknown[/quote]

Australia has the seventh most efficient healthcare system in the world (Bloomberg, 2013)! The average life expectancy of an Australian is 81.8 years, 10 years older than the average worldwide life expectancy. Not only is our healthcare system one of the best, we also have access to clean water, life-saving medicine and fresh, nutritious food.

Technology

[quote]The Internet is the most important single development in the history of human communication since the invention of call waiting - Dave Barry[/quote]

The World Wide Web was created in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee to be an open source information space so that humans across the planet could access shared knowledge. It's rare to find an Aussie who isn't connected to the web – it seems we're a nation glued to our smartphones. We may have a few ‘etiquette' issues when it comes to online use but it has also afforded us countless opportunities. Kids who live off the beaten track can access remote schooling, you can study online, and the answer to every trivia question you could possibly think up is a Google search away. The knowledge found on the web is infinite. It may surprise you to know that 4.4 billion people around the world (about 60%) still don't have access to the internet!

Take a moment to think about how different your life might be if you were disconnected *shudders*

Nature

[quote]I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains, Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains. I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea, Her beauty and her terror – The wide brown land for me! ― Dorothea Mackellar[/quote]

Have you stopped to appreciate the beauty of our "sunburnt country"? We own the Great Barrier Reef, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. We have over 28 million hectares of national parklands, 35,876 km of national coastline, an average of 220 sunny days per year, we have 378 mammal species, 828 bird species, 4000 fish species, 300 species of lizards, 140 snake species, two crocodile species and around 50 types of marine mammal. Yep… Australia is EPIC! Take some time out to absorb its goodness.

What are you thankful for?