I write to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving.  The pandemic remains a factor in our lives, but far less than last year when many of our Thanksgiving dinners were enjoyed with family members via zoom, rather than in person.

Now that we are more in hybrid mode and slowly feeling our way back into sociability, I encourage each of us to enjoy the Thanksgiving break as a “time out” of sorts, a time to treasure family and friends on a personal level.  Play with the dog; go to a museum; watch the Ravens beat the Browns or enjoy the comfort of old movies in your pajamas with a quart-sized bowl of buttered popcorn on your lap.  For a few days, just enjoy being alive, alert, and enthusiastic.

Whatever your family’s Thanksgiving Day traditions might be, I hope the day is joyful and fulfilling for you, a time to be well fed and well sustained by the love and fellowship of friends and family.  On Thursday I will be thoughtful and thankful, both for my family (8 of us instead of the more usual 20) gathered around my dining room table and for all of you. Although a 20 pound turkey will still occupy pride of place on our Thanksgiving table, the main course this year will be homemade ravioli, a delicacy that has graced our family’s holiday menu for several generations.