Finding Gratitude and Joy Amid Loss

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we’re thankful for, but for many, it’s also a season that highlights loss—whether through death, separation, or the distance caused by broken relationships. It can feel especially painful when family ties, which we expect to be lifelong and unshakable, begin to fade. These days, it seems more common for blood relatives to drift apart, leaving a void that can be hard to fill

It’s okay to feel sadness, to grieve what’s been lost. But don’t stay there. Take time to enjoy your holidays whether it is with your family that are blood or family that are friends, just embrace the people who choose to stand by you, and don’t deprive yourself of joy. You deserve love, laughter, and the goodness life has to offer—just like everyone else.

This Thanksgiving, let’s be intentional about gratitude, not only for what we have but for the connections we nurture. Remember, your words and actions have the power to bring light to others. So, choose joy. Speak life. And celebrate the beauty of the season with an open heart.

However, family doesn’t always have to mean those we’re related to by blood. Sometimes, our truest family is found in close friends—the people who stand by us, support us, and speak life into our hearts. There’s nothing wrong with building a family out of those who bring positivity and love into our lives. Life is meant to be joyful, and by embracing that joy, we can pass it on to others.

I’ve learned that some years, the weight of loss feels heavier than others. But every year, I make a conscious effort to focus on the positive—to speak life over myself so I can share it with others. I firmly believe that the words we speak and the energy we project shape the experiences we create. When we exude kindness and joy, it ripples out to those around us.