Thanksgiving Day has long been the traditional day when families and friends gather for dinner and a time to give thanks.

But this year’s Thanksgiving Day here in our local area, state and across the nation will be different as people are being advised not to gather in large groups for that big dinner with all the trimmings but just with a small number of immediate family members at home.

Restaurants and other places have altered their plans to still offer ways for people to enjoy the day with a meal.

Some traditional events have been canceled due to the pandemic including the longtime held Day of Love event at Minot Air Force Base for seniors but a number of airmen were scheduled to deliver to many seniors Thanksgiving Day meals through the Minot Commission on Aging today.

The past months of dealing with COVID-19 have been traumatic and stressful for many people but yet this is still a time to be thankful for what each one of us have in our lives. A heated presidential election this year added to the stress for many people.

If you wonder what you can be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day tomorrow, consider your family and friends, your health and their health, your work and your freedom in this country.

If you have lost family members or friends due to the pandemic or other reasons, think about your thankfulness for having had them in your life.

Our lives have changed but we can be thankful for what we have and enjoy it. There is hope the pandemic will disappear soon, with chances even more now with the coming of a vaccine to be available in the near future.

So on this Thanksgiving Day it’s still a good day to give thanks for what you have in life.