Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Twas the night before Thanksgiving … whoops, wrong holiday, yet we can guess that many will still be plenty busy as you prepare for family, food, football and of course, shopping.

But before you really get into the true hustle and bustle of the holiday, we hope that you will take a moment for yourself; to sit aside in quiet relaxation and truly give yourself a bit of respite.

We can mention the same tired talking points many of us have talked about all year, along filled with key words including COVID-19, pandemic, vaccine and mask because the coronavirus pandemic has truly made us all weary. That alone would be enough to contemplate some solitude if nothing else does.

But that is only part of it. So many things are coming together in this nexus of time to truly burden all of us. We are scared, we are frantic and some are even angry. All of this, when combined with aggravating factors, such as drugs and alcohol abuse and depression, are colliding to just make us weary and irritable.

So take a moment — or even two or three if you are so inclined — and make it about yourself. Read a book, put on the headphones and drift away, or simply take a walk either by yourself or with a friend or loved one.

And take an extra moment to be thankful for those standing with you, providing solid pillars to lean on. Be thankful for the support network that is there to lend you a hand when you most need it.

Be thankful for the people in your life and not the things in your life. Wealth should be determined by those you love and not the possessions you own.

Be thankful that you are able to come together as a family. Be thankful for health care professionals, law enforcement, firefighters. Be thankful for the scientists and the caring of others.

Be … thankful.

From all of us at the Austin Daily Herald, Happy Thanksgiving and know that we all are so incredibly thankful for your continued readership and support.