Our schools and our families are preparing for the Thanksgiving. Holiday food and toy drives are popping up everywhere to help prepare baskets for needy families over the winter.

Many of our families get by on very tight budgets, so food and toy drives are a hardship. But we can all still give our time, share that one can of food from the back of the cupboard, and let our children see fairness and caring in practice. Remember that Thanksgiving is not about abundance, but about celebrating what we do have.

This year, there is much to be thankful for. Natural disasters in the Philippines and here    in the Midwest have left many families homeless and children orphaned. By comparison, we’re lucky: Our children are safe, we have roofs over our heads and helpful communities at our school. Arizona is spared major hurricanes, earthquakes and tornados, but one bad forest fire, snowstorm in the higher elevations or flood and those families could be us.

The bountiful harvest of the first Thanksgiving came after a year of terrible illness and disappointment. The simplest things meant more because the Pilgrims were happy just to be alive. Let’s keep some of that spirit in mind, and our Thanksgiving feast will be delicious no matter what we serve.