Dear Readers,
Thanksgiving has always been a special holiday for me. It was my dad’s favorite, and even now, I can’t get to this time of year without thinking about him. He’s been gone ten years this year, which is hard for me to believe. In some ways it feels like so much time has passed, and in others, not very much at all.
Maybe that’s one of the things I’ve come to understand more as I get older. Ten years can go by incredibly quickly. Children grow up, families change, and we lose people who were such an important part of our lives. But the people we love stay with us in so many ways, in our traditions, the stories we tell and, perhaps most of all, in who we’ve become because of them.
For me, Thanksgiving is one of those reminders. It makes me think of my dad, but it also makes me especially thankful for the people who are still around the table. Time moves quickly, and sometimes I think we need a reminder to appreciate the people we love while we have the chance.
That was on my mind as we worked on this month’s cover story. Throughout the Mohawk Valley, there are people who give so much of themselves to others, often without expecting recognition in return. They volunteer, raise money, help their neighbors and support causes that matter to them. We could never tell all of their stories in one issue, but we wanted to introduce you to a few of them. Their stories reminded me how much good happens every day simply because someone sees a need and decides to help.
Thanksgiving also made this month’s Food Tour an easy choice. RoAnn and I both love turkey and all the fixings, so we set out to find some of our favorite Thanksgiving flavors around the Mohawk Valley. Needless to say, we enjoyed this one.
November also brings the beginning of holiday shopping, and I hope you’ll think local as you start making your lists. Small Business Saturday is coming, craft fairs are filling the calendar and shops throughout the Mohawk Valley are getting ready for the holidays. Behind those businesses are people who have taken a chance on an idea, built something of their own and continue to invest in the communities we call home. Before automatically clicking “add to cart,” take a look around. You may be surprised by just how much you can find right here.
As I put this issue together, I kept thinking about how much of Mohawk Valley Living has always come back to people. Over the last year & a half, we’ve had the privilege of meeting so many of them. People who build businesses, carry on family traditions, create something new, volunteer their time and find their own ways to make this a better place to live.
Maybe that’s what Thanksgiving means a little more to me now than it did ten years ago. Be thankful for the people you love while they’re here. Make the phone call. Stay a little longer around the table. Take the picture, even if everyone complains about it.
Ten years later, I’m very glad for all the pictures, stories and Thanksgivings I had with my dad. And I’m especially thankful for the people I get to share them with now.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Carrie
