Tomorrow is a day many of us look forward to as we gather around the dinner table, congregate with family and friends we hold dear, and stuff our faces beyond capacity with enough holiday goodies to feed a small army.

When I look back on past Thanksgiving celebrations I am humbled knowing I will always have a permanent place to come together with those I love.

Years ago, I took advantage of a Thanksgiving break and trekked off to London with a friend for the week. It was our first holiday away from family so we went to the market and picked up turkey sandwiches, trying to recreate what we were missing back home. It just wasn’t the same without Mom’s homemade mashed potatoes or Nana’s famous chocolate silk pie.

I used to feel like we were forced to come together each year for this holiday where we spent the whole day simply devouring food, but that day in my hotel room as I choked down my dry turkey with a side of English tea, I had an overwhelming sense of yearning for what I was missing back home. Of course, it helped being distracted with a visit to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace later that day, but being away helped me to recognize the hard work that goes into making our Thanksgiving celebrations worth waiting for every year.

I remember my first semester away at college and deciding to bring my new roommate home because she couldn’t make it back to Iowa for the holidays. My family immediately embraced her as if she were a Centi and ‘adopted’ her into our household from that day forward. Her family has since become a part of mine and I am so grateful God placed us together in that dorm room, knowing we would build a bond of sisterhood that would last a lifetime.

The first year I lived in California, my roommates and I had our first “Friendsgiving.” There were about a dozen of us who couldn’t make it home for the holidays so my friend and I took it upon ourselves to coordinate the event. We successfully cooked our first 25 pound turkey and fed our entire group of homesick neighbors and friends, all without managing to give anyone food poisoning. It was the beginning of many gatherings we would host at our place in North Hollywood and the first time I started to feel like I had a sense of family, while being 3000 miles away from home.

As I write this, I am filled with an overwhelming amount of emotions, knowing there are others out there who may not be as fortunate as myself to have a warm meal to sit down to this holiday, or a family waiting for them at home. Maybe you’re celebrating your first Thanksgiving without a significant other or a family member who recently passed. Cherish the moments with those around you and let them know how much they are loved and appreciated because they won’t always be there at the head of the table to say grace and remind you to be thankful for your many blessings. Always be thankful for the simple things and the special people who touch your life daily.

There are many ways you can help out this Thanksgiving and show your gratitude. You could serve the less fortunate at a soup kitchen or donate canned goods to a local mission or church. Try mending old relationships or just reach out to those whom you’ve lost touch. Put away the phones, get off social media and interact with those around you face-to-face. Sure it’s fun to see everyone’s ‘Turkey Day selfies’, but it’s better if you sit down with Grandma and ask her how she’s been. And don’t forget to give praise to those deserving, like the cook who slaved all day in the kitchen to make the meal you’re about to enjoy.

The great English writer, G. K. Chesterton said it best, “When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”