The following message of Thanksgiving was shared by West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor.

Cantor family and significant others. Courtesy photo

Autumn is a special season of Thanksgiving.  In many ways, this is the true season of renewal – the shortening days, the chill of longer nights, and the falling leaves are simply prologue to a New Year and all its possibilities. Thanksgiving is a time to both reflect on what we have been given, and to look ahead to what we hope to accomplish.

This year, we can finally celebrate and give thanks for a return to normalcy, as so many of the events and activities that make our community so special resumed this year without pandemic-era restrictions.

Celebrate! West Hartford, the annual celebration of our community, returned for the first time since 2019, and over the course of the past few weeks I’ve watched with pride as our school sports teams have met for traditional rivalry games, supported by bleachers full of cheering fans. Every day, friends, families and colleagues gather in our amazing restaurants to enjoy one another’s company, and our playhouses and auditoriums are again filled with inspired performances. Classrooms are filled with students learning in person from our incredible teachers and educators.

We must, of course, remember all those who we have lost over the past few years. If you know someone who has lost a loved one, reach out to them, make sure they know you are there for them. If you know someone who is alone this Thanksgiving, invite them to your table.

No less importantly, we must give thanks for the incredible public servants who continue to guard our freedoms and keep us safe. As we gather for feasts with families and friends, take a moment to give thanks to those away from theirs – the soldier deployed abroad, the police officer on patrol, the firefighter standing watch, and the healthcare worker caring for patients.

I go into this holiday season filled with hope, and I thank each resident for recommitting yourself to the ideals of fellowship and community, and for contributing to the sense of belonging and togetherness that makes West Hartford such a special place to live.

Happy Thanksgiving.

From left: Ben, Josh, Theresa (holding Louisa), and Jacob Cantor. Courtesy photo

Mayor Shari Cantor (right) and her mother, Rose Granow. Courtesy photo

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