The last two years have been difficult for all of us.  What I considered a great holiday season in the past is very different from now.  I am no longer taking for granted the joys of holiday cooking, shopping, or spending time with family.

Last year, our family was separated not only by miles but by an opportunistic virus.  I am thankful that, while it touched a few in my family, none were lost.

I am thankful for the miracle of vaccines, and the scientists who spent over a decade developing them.  I am thankful for those unselfish people who braved the winter weather and long hours vaccinating people at large outdoor venues or distributing food to the victims of an imperiled economy.

I am thankful for the gifts of technology that allowed us to stay in touch, albeit two-dimensionally, with our friends and families, and provided many with the ability to work from the safety of their homes.  Participating in online classes kept many of us engaged and informed, and though we are all a bit weary of the mode, our minds have been stimulated and the socialization diluted the physical isolation.

I am thankful for all the warriors in the medical field who have worked through exhaustion and separation from their families to minister to those hundreds of thousands of Covid victims. As a former registered nurse, I can only imagine the personal cost.

But I am most thankful to spend time actually in the company of my family this year.  It is the most welcome gift of all. Sharing a Thanksgiving dinner will remind us all what and who is truly important.