As I sit here thinking about Thanksgiving 2023, I realize how much of the tradition has changed, mainly due to family no longer with us or distance away from who is left. My parents are both gone for quite some time now, as is my oldest brother. My only remaining brother and his wife are in Hawaii. My in-laws and step kids are still in NY. I have a cousin in NJ and one in MD. So, having a decent sized family dinner likely hasn’t happened for some six years now. But traditions are traditions, so my wife got (a comparatively small) 11-pound turkey and the plan is to have a very intimate gathering of my wife Indy and son Joe at our Florida house.

We still will have the usual sides, including my mom’s homemade cornbread recipe and apple pie. We will give thanks for the fact we can still have a nice dinner together, regardless of size or who is left. It is the tradition that we want to maintain, and hold onto the memories of times past, when our family was able to be together. Regardless of size, the meaning is the same. We reflect on what we have done and think of what can be done in the future, to better our lives and live the best we can.

I hope you all can enjoy a great meal with whoever you can and give thanks to the freedoms and abilities to be able to celebrate this festive holiday.