Prior to 2017 I had been living elsewhere, away from my family since 1983. Each year though, I always flew or drove (depending on the distance to where I was currently living) for Christmas. I’d always plan ahead so I’d have a lot of time to spend while I was back home. But, because Thanksgiving is so close to Christmas it felt like a waste of time (and could be expensive) to return for both. So, for over 30 years, not being back, for a large Thanksgiving meal with my family, became the norm for me. While the circumstances are obviously different this year for thousands of people, I think it’s a bit ironic that this year, more than anything, that I’m celebrating Thanksgiving with my family.