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It’s been a difficult year for us all.

Besides dealing with a global pandemic unlike anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes, we also dealt with  a lot of political and social unrest.

Many people lost their jobs and struggled to get the assistance they needed to pay their bills and feed their families.

Businesses were ordered to shut down, and most did so with the understanding that they were protecting themselves, their employees and their customers.

Others were asked to make a huge sacrifice and continue reporting to work so that their neighbors could have access to things like groceries, utilities and health care.

Still, some had to figure out ways to work from home while helping their children with virtual school.

Some people lost cherished friends and family.

If one word comes to mind as we near the year’s end, it’s “adapt.” We’ve all had to do some level of adapting to make it through this year.

But, here we are. As I write this, we are on the cusp of a holiday all about giving thanks. For many, it can be hard to think of anything to be thankful for this year. I’ve found myself in that very place at different times throughout the year.

I’ve struggled with anxiety over the virus and worried over my family’s health and wellbeing.

I’ve dealt with depressive episodes, feeling like we’ll never see an end to COVID and its nasty effects.

There have been times I felt alone and isolated and others where I felt smothered by being essentially locked in the house with the same people day in and day out for months.

I’ve been fearful, especially when I had my own COVID scare earlier this year.

And these days, that fear and heartbreak is exacerbated as I see more and more people announce that they have been diagnosed with COVID.

My heart goes out to each of you. We’ve all been negatively impacted in one way or another by this virus.

Still, I challenged myself on the day before Thanksgiving to think of some of the things I could be grateful for this year.

I’m thankful that I got to spend more time with my son this year and that he still loves spending time with me. One day, he’ll prefer to spend his time with someone else. While he’s little, I’m glad I had some time to soak up his love and affection.

I’m thankful for my family’s health. We’ve had a few health-related scares this year, but I’m glad to report that we’re all doing well.

I’ve strengthened friendships this year, and on the other hand, I’ve finally let go of toxic relationships.

I’m blessed to be able to say that I was able to keep my job this year, and I was able to adjust to working from home.

I would be remiss if I didn’t take the time to thank YOU — our readers, our subscribers, our neighbors, our community.

Thank you for supporting the newspaper. Like many small businesses, we have faced numerous challenges this year. Without your support, we couldn’t have done it.

Thank you for letting us help tell your stories and record our community’s history.

Thank you for adapting to everything the year has thrown at you. Thank you for being overcomers.

I hope that this time next year it will be a lot easier to think of all the things for which we’re thankful. Until then, I challenge you to shine your light on the good things in your life. Take some time to consider all the things for which you can be thankful, even in a year like this.

Whitney Leggett is a regional editor for Bluegrass Newsmedia, which includes The Winchester Sun. She can be reached at whitney.leggett@winchestersun.com.