Saying thank you is as important to me as it is to the person I am thanking. By saying the words, I acknowledge that their actions were meaningful to me. I recognize the value of their gift, whether it was a tangible item or an intangible action such as help or advice. I deepen my connection to another person through the acceptance of their gift and the sharing of my appreciation.

This has been a difficult year, yet there are still many things that I am grateful for and I need to take the time to acknowledge those. When the pandemic arrived and forced the closure of gyms, our coach took his classes to zoom. I am thankful to the people who developed the zoom platform and to him for giving his time. I am thankful that when he had to stop, we were able to find another coach offering classes virtually. I am thankful to our support group that has continued to meet because even though it is a virtual environment, we have been able to stay connected to people who understand and share in our journey. I am thankful to family and friends who accepted the situation and have been texting, calling, zooming and occasionally stopping by in-person (with masks) to help us navigate this difficult time. I am thankful for our medical team who remained committed to my husband’s well-being and support us as we make our way through.

Most importantly, I am thankful to the many front line workers and researchers who are unknown to me but who are playing a vital role in helping us all survive the challenges. Without the service and dedication of complete strangers, who knows whether we would be looking forward to better times in the coming year. Thanks to them all for showing us that we are stronger than we think we are and that we can face any challenge if we do it together.