Hey {{first_name}},
Thanksgiving hits differently when you’ve lived parts of your life where gratitude wasn’t guaranteed.
Where food wasn’t a given, sleep wasn’t a given, and tomorrow sure as hell wasn’t a given.
The Marine Corps taught me a lot — discipline, leadership, how to handle chaos —
but one of the biggest lessons was this:
Gratitude isn’t something you feel.
It’s something you practice.
You practice it when things are good.
You practice it when things fall apart.
You practice it when life blindsides you and you’re standing in the rubble trying to figure out who you are now.
I’ve had years where Thanksgiving was loud, full of family, food, and laughter.
And I’ve had years where it was quiet — too quiet — where the only thing I was grateful for was the fact that I made it through another day.
And if I’m being honest…
Some of those quiet years taught me more than the loud ones ever did.
This year, I’m grateful for clarity.
For peace.
For new beginnings.
And for the people who show up in my life — sometimes in unexpected ways — at the exact moment they’re meant to.
If you’re celebrating today with family, I hope you feel it.
If today is more complicated for you — if you’re missing someone, lost in transition, or carrying something heavy — I want you to know this:
You’re not alone.
A lot of us go through things quietly.
A lot of us carry battles no one can see.
And sometimes gratitude doesn’t roar.
Sometimes it whispers:
“You’re still here. Keep going.”
Wherever you are this Thanksgiving — surrounded by a full table or just sitting with yourself — I hope you find one small thing to appreciate.
Not because everything is perfect.
But because gratitude is how we start rebuilding ourselves from the inside out.
Semper Fi,
Jeff Sands
P.S. The holidays can stir up a lot — good, bad, and everything in between.
If today hits deeper than usual, take it slow.
Breathe.
And remember: strength isn’t pretending everything’s fine…
it’s having the courage to face the truth with an open heart.