We have endured four genuinely terrible Thanksgivings.

No, I’m not talking about the kind where you spend the whole meal arguing about politics. Worse than that.

* In 2009, my father-in-law was diagnosed with colon cancer right before Thanksgiving.

* In 2010, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer right before Thanksgiving.

* In 2017, our apartment (already torn apart for mold abatement), flooded at 11pm on Thanksgiving night and left us without our own home for six months.

* In 2021, my wife had to order Thanksgiving food from a restaurant because in my chemo-induced nausea, I couldn’t stand the smell of home-cooking.

Thanksgiving, under these kinds of circumstances, can feel trite and Pollyanna-ish.

This podcast is about how to let grief be a teacher that unlocks rather than restricts your gratitude.

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The Deep End is a blog written and produced by Kyle Brooks.

Get full access to The Deep End with Kyle Brooks at kylebrooks.substack.com/subscribe