10/11/2026
Not everyone comes to the Thanksgiving table feeling thankful. 🍂
Last Wednesday, at our Art for the Grieving Heart gathering, we painted autumn trees in beautiful shades of gold, orange and red. As the colours emerged on the paper, so did conversations about the changing seasons, the people we miss, and the holidays ahead.
There was beauty in the artwork. And there was tenderness, sadness and honesty in the conversations around the table.
For some, Thanksgiving is a time of celebration, family, connection and gratitude.
For others, it is another reminder of someone who is missing. An empty chair. A familiar voice that won’t be heard. Traditions that no longer feel quite the same.
We talked about how difficult gratitude can feel in grief, particularly in those early days, months and years. And we talked about how the arrival of Thanksgiving can bring something else with it: the realization that Christmas and an entire season of gatherings, traditions and memories are just around the corner.
Sometimes, the question isn’t “What am I thankful for?”
It’s “How am I going to get through this?”
And that deserves compassion, too.
One of the things we are reminded of, time and again, in our grief gatherings is that there is room for more than one feeling at a time.
We can miss someone terribly and still experience a moment of joy. We can feel grateful for the love we shared and deeply saddened by its absence. We can look forward to parts of the holidays while wishing we could skip others entirely.
And sometimes, we simply aren’t ready to feel thankful.
That’s okay, too.
This Thanksgiving, whether your table is filled with laughter and familiar faces, feels a little quieter and more melancholy than it once did, or is somewhere in between, we hope you find space to experience the day in whatever way feels right for you.
May there be kindness around you, gentleness toward yourself, and room for both the love you carry and the people you miss.
From all of us at Park Memorial, we wish you a gentle Thanksgiving. 🧡
