in the midst of everything going on, I don’t have any urge to buy anything that is on sale right now. But I do want to take some time to reflect on the plentitude I have and gratitude.

This year I am thankful for:

• My brother moving to New York and being able to spend more time with him than I have since… I left for college, maybe? And being in the same city as him since the same time?
• Having the means to both support a local restaurant for Thanksgiving for a second pandemic year and supplement that meal with more of our favorite sides and desserts that we always finish too soon and wish we had leftovers of

• The good health of myself and my loved ones
• Modern medicine and public health measures that have helped make said good health possible
• All of the well wishes from folks in the wake of my grandmother’s passing
• Being able to attend 4 weddings over the past 3 months after not seeing anyone in person for a year and a half
• Making new friends locally despite a global pandemic
• … who let us enjoy cat-sitting and their fantastic view of the Thanksgiving parade
• Technology allowing me to stay in touch with my parents (and my other long-distance friends and extended family), even after not seeing them for 2 years

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Before I go on, I wanted to take a moment to gently remind myself and any readers here that the myth of the first Thanksgiving is, in fact, a myth. Here are a few things I’ve learned about the history of Thanksgiving:

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