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Somehow the traditional “Happy Thanksgiving” doesn’t quite seem to fit such an untraditional year, so “Happy 2020 Thanksgiving” is the greeting I’ve been using.

It may feel as if holiday plans got thrown to the winds like the leaves in the featured photo. If your usual plans seem upside down and inside out, consider this your chance to throw the rule book out. Order Thai food. Eat dessert first. If you normally travel and attend a boisterous gathering, try embracing the quiet. Take a walk in the woods or curl up in a comfortable corner with a book. Breathe.

For a lot of people, this is a difficult holiday during a difficult year. You may be feeling sad, frustrated, or lonely. Know that you’re not alone and many others may struggle with the same emotions. It’s OK to feel what you’re feeling. 

For those of us who are missing out on getting together with loved ones, I think of it as short-term pain for long-term gain. We want to keep everyone safe so we can have lots of gatherings in the future. Pretty soon this 2020 Thanksgiving—and the whole year—will be in the rear-view mirror. (Hmm… will we then have 2020 hindsight?!) While I certainly understand the seriousness of this pandemic, hopefully we will be able to look back at something like a virtual Thanksgiving celebration and laugh. Maybe there will even be funny anecdotes to share. “Remember the Thanksgiving we did Zoom, when baby Michael reached out and accidentally muted Aunt Ethel in the middle of her looong story?” “How about the way the cousins kept laughing and it took us a while to realize they were exchanging personal messages in the chat box? Those kids really bonded that year.”

Even in tough times, gratitude is good for our souls, and there is always, always, always something to be grateful for. So, Happy 2020 Thanksgiving. I wish you moments of joy and a grateful heart, as we all look to brighter days ahead.