One of the greatest technical achievements of humankind is captured by the space station orbiting high above our beautiful planet. Last year (2019), half of the crew members onboard the International Space Station (ISS) were American astronauts who celebrated Thanksgiving in space: NASA’s Christina Koch, Jessica Meir, and Andrew Morgan. The original Thanksgiving message of Expedition 61 can be heard here.

Their message was a foreshadowing of what much of the world would be forced to appreciate on year hence, once the dark veil of the COVID-19 pandemic would cover the Earth. Floating high above the world, the isolated crew (not by a pandemic but by the harshness of space) shared the spirit of giving thanks with their immediate crewmates. Still, their thoughts were with friends and families on Earth who they looked forward to seeing once their isolation ended.

Many of us share that sediment now as we remain isolated in our homes, hopeful of our eventual physical reunion with our friends and family.