For most of us, the images that remind us of Thanksgiving each year typically include a turkey with all the trimmings, rustic decorations in cheerful autumn hues, and endless desserts to enjoy long past the point of feeling satisfied.

However, whether your family tradition includes a formal dinner table with multiple courses, or a casual spread of food with friends and family happily enjoying the day together, or just simply watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade or football on TV, the special feeling of this lovely holiday has less to do with how we set the table or what we eat, and more to do with what we cannot see.

We cannot see the excitement that a distant family member feels as they leave their house to make the trip over for Thanksgiving day. We cannot see the smudged fingerprints on the cookbooks that are passed down, nor can we see the recipes long committed to memory and passed down with love to the next generation. We cannot see the footsteps of children happily running around without a care in the world. We cannot see the laughter at the same stories being told and retold year after year, and we cannot see how that invisible layer of warmth will sustain a lonely parent long after the house is silent.

Most of all, we cannot see the thanks that we give although it is near-tangible in its presence, raised up with invisible gratitude.

Thanksgiving is a time for gathering and gratitude! This year, as friends and family come together, wishing you all the lingering joy, love and laughter. Truly, they are more satisfying than any dish on the table, no matter how much whipped cream is involved.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!