Gratitude is a powerful sentiment, especially during Thanksgiving, when we take opportunities more often to appreciate the blessings that family, extended family, and life in general provide. Thanksgiving is more than a holiday; it’s an opportunity to pause and reflect on what we have and who we share our lives with. President Thomas S. Monson said, "Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love" ("The Divine Gift of Gratitude," 2010). This unlocking the door to heaven can even apply to our family that have passed on. Family, in all its forms, is at the heart of these blessings. Each family member contributes something unique, whether it’s a sense of comfort, memories, support, laughter, or love.

 

Being grateful for family means recognizing and valuing the moments together, from shared meals and silly, ridiculous traditions to simple, everyday conversations around the table. It’s easy to take these blissful, easy moments for granted, especially in the rush of work, social demands, and familial expectations and needs. Regardless, when we put the phone down, focus on what really matters, enable time to reflect--we realize how precious these connections are and even recall those moments of long ago with those we cannot physically be with at this time. Thanksgiving is a reminder that family, despite its flaws and seemingly endless imperfections, is really a foundation of support, growth, and unconditional love. 

 

In showing gratitude, we also bring warmth and understanding to these relationships. Thankfulness doesn’t erase challenges or misunderstandings, but it brings kindness and patience to how we relate to each other. Gratitude encourages us to acknowledge the effort each family member makes, whether it’s through mashing a batch of potatoes for the table, lending an ear to a particularly difficult situation, or simply being present and showing up even when exhausted. Expressing this gratitude is an opportunity to deepen these bonds, making the connections we have with our family more meaningful. It can shape the memories of tomorrow. 

 

As we sit around the Thanksgiving table this autumn, savoring turkey, yams, and green bean casseroles or whatever it is your family deems worthy of the Thanksgiving table, along with the company of those we hold dear, we’re reminded that gratitude turns what we have into enough. Family is always enough. 

 

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