Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As we approach this season of Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you. This holiday offers us an opportunity to pause, reflect, and give thanks, not just for the comforts in our lives, but for the people who bring the magic to our neighborhoods and communities. And this year, I find myself thinking more intentionally about the true meaning of gratitude.
Gratitude is more than a passive feeling. It is something we must actively choose, nurture, and carry with us each day. It’s easy to be thankful for the good things, for the blessings that come without effort. But the greater challenge and the deeper beauty are found in being grateful for what we don’t anticipate, what we don’t always notice. Gratitude lives in moments of struggle, in our connections with others, and in the quiet, sometimes difficult conversations that shape who we are.
In a world that often feels divided, I believe that the most profound expression of gratitude comes not in the act of inviting others to our own tables, but in being invited to theirs. Being invited to someone’s table is an act of trust, of vulnerability, of opening one’s heart and home. It’s a recognition that, despite our differences, there’s something worth sharing, something deeper than what separates us.
It’s easy to think of Thanksgiving as a time to extend invitations to others, to host a dinner or organize a celebration. But I encourage you to reflect on the power of being invited into someone else’s space. It’s not just about the food or the company, but about the gesture itself: “You are welcome here. You are valued here.” And that takes courage. It takes an intentional choice to see beyond differences and to offer a seat at the table, even when the world around us seems to demand that we draw lines and build walls.
This brings me to another thought: the idea that certain topics, especially politics or religion that seem to be “off-limits” at the table. I’ve heard this adage countless times: “We shouldn’t talk about politics or religion at Thanksgiving.” But if we can’t discuss the things that truly matter with the people who love us unconditionally, then how will we ever have honest, meaningful conversations with strangers? How can we find common ground if we are too afraid to have difficult conversations with those who already know and care for us? Stay curious.
I believe we are capable of engaging in these conversations with grace, humility, and respect. We may not always agree, but we can listen, learn, and grow from one another. And it is in that growth, through the differences, that we can begin to build the understanding and compassion that we so desperately need.
This Thanksgiving, let’s be intentional about our gratitude, not just for the good, but for the messy, the complicated, and the uncomfortable. Let’s appreciate the opportunity to sit at someone else’s table and share not just food, but conversation with grace. Let us embrace the chance to talk about what matters, to disagree with curiosity not hostility, and to understand that, in the end, it is our shared humanity that unites us. May your Thanksgiving be filled with warmth, connection, curiosity, and joy.
With gratitude,
Representative Danny Nadeau