Patricia Sanders, author of this week’s op-ed, wrapped up my thoughts perfectly as we head into Thanksgiving week. She quoted a Benedictine monk who said, “It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” It’s a reminder that feels especially resonant this year. Joy can be hard to summon on command — particularly in a season wrapped in Hallmark expectations of perfect families, perfect meals, and perfect moments. But gratitude is different. Gratitude is a practice. And from that practice, joy grows.
We’ve all lived through a stretch of months that asked more of us than we expected. Floods, detours, disrupted routines, and the long work of recovery have weighed heavily on our community. Many are still digging out — literally and figuratively. And yet, in the midst of all of it, there were moments that lifted us: neighbors showing up with shovels, businesses helping each other rebuild, strangers becoming friends in the mud and the mess.
Those are the “small wins” that carry us. Those are the strong bonds that remind us who we are. And they are the reason hope continues to rise here, even when the road feels long.
As we move into Thanksgiving week, I’m choosing to look for those moments intentionally — not because everything is perfect, but because gratitude gives us a way through imperfection. It grounds us. It softens the sharp edges. And in time, it brings back the joy we thought we’d lost.
May this season give each of us space to notice, to thank, and to lift one another up.
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