November 2026

Good morning, dear WPS family,

Are you ready for this Thanksgiving season? There are a lot of things that feel “not quite right” about celebrating Thanks-giving after a loss. For starters, you’re grieving, and grieving feels inconsistent with many of the positive experiences and emotions that you used to treasure about the day—perhaps you can’t seem to care about watching football, don’t know how to spend time around family without the person who’s died, or feel like you’re the only sad person in a room full of smiling faces.

Not to mention, for many people, giving thanks and feeling gratitude for their current situation feels unfathomable. A secondary loss that people rarely consider is how grief can temporarily cut a person off from specific emotional experiences, like certain types of love, hope, optimism, and a sense of purpose, comfort, humanity, or joy. However, since experiencing loss, these emotions may seem more challenging to grasp. And now, the emotional scales may seem tipped entirely on the negative end of the spectrum.

So, I wouldn’t blame you if you were one step away from writing Thanksgiving off entirely. Or maybe, you’re saying to yourself, I’ll go and eat the green bean casserole, but there ‘s no way I’m feeling thankful. Both these approaches are fine—as we always like to remind people—there will be more Thanksgivings.

Reconnecting with Thanksgiving’s Purpose: On the other hand, if feeling disconnected from the day’s purpose bothers you (whatever that purpose is), remember that gratitude isn’t only for people whose cup flows over with blessings—just like joy isn’t only for people who identify as “happy,” and purpose isn’t only for people who have things all figured out. I’m reminded of the following quote: “When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty, my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup.” (Sam Lefkowitz). Unlike many sentiments about Thanksgiving and gratitude, the quote sums up the very best many of us can do when we’re grieving: find gratitude for the little things. On the internet see, “Thanksgiving Quotes for After Losing a Loved One.”

I wish you a blessed, peaceful, loving and Happy Thanksgiving Day and remember: “If you are visiting others on that Day, take your own car.” That way you can leave if it gets too uncomfortable for you. Hugs!
Ruth Turner, Outreach Chair and Certified Grief Support Facilitator