Thanksgiving is a special time of year when families traditionally gather around the dining room table to feast on a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, just like grandma made.
It’s a time like no other, when we celebrate our American heritage based on the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Mass.
While no one knows for certain the details of that meal, shared by Native Americans and European settlers in the wilderness, it must have been memorable.
This year, however, there will be many empty seats at tables in our area, seats previously filled by the men and women who were lost in the Sept. 11 disaster.
Some of those families will no doubt have a difficult time getting through their first major holiday without their loved ones.
But they won’t have difficulty giving thanks for all of the Americans who have reached out to offer help.
We’ve heard in recent days of problems with the American Red Cross special relief fund dedicated to Sept. 11 victims. All that has been resolved, and all of the funds will now go to the families they were intended to aid.
We have so much to be thankful for that we often forget and take our blessings for granted. This year, because of the tragedy we all witnessed, many will think more seriously about their good fortune. Despite the horrors we all witnessed, we remain a nation of strong, kind and generous people.
Happy Thanksgiving.