At a time when the world feels fractured — with wars abroad, dangerous discourse at home, fear of the future and frustration with the present — it can be hard to see past the daily churn.

But gratitude has a way of clearing the lens. It reminds us that at the grassroots, where social distance disappears and we meet each other face to face, our common humanity still shows through. This is where the saints and saviors, the protectors and healers, the teachers and allies hold communities together. And it is in that spirit we offer this year’s Thanksgiving list.

For the region’s first responders — police officers, firefighters, EMTs and dispatchers — whose shifts do not pause for holidays and whose work often goes unseen until a crisis demands it.

For the educators who keep our classrooms,

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