Our closest relatives, we are told by mid-life, are siblings. No one else has known us as long, shared all other family connections, and "belong" to us until the end. Siblings are not replacements for spouses or children, but they are irreplaceable.

I have one sister, eight years younger than I am, a fact that gives me comfort; statistics give me the edge to always have my sister.

We celebrate Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, together. When I am with my nieces and nephews, I am completely comfortable. It is a great gift. It is also the perfect holiday to celebrate with my sister's family where being the Aunt is an honor.

How fortunate we are to have this holiday devoted to recognizing what we have in our lives to be grateful for, not the least of which are the important relationships in our lives. Not everyone will be with a sibling, nor have a sibling. But most will be with someone important to them and will give thanks for that.

I am thrilled to feel that I belong to more than my one family of origin. Both my parents had very large families, all living in the same New England community. While I grew up with dear friends, I can't remember a time in my childhood that did not include being surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, as well as my mum, dad and sister. I will always give thanks for that feeling of belonging.

Now I have my own family, my sister's family and my husband's family. A great blessing for me has been to feel belonging and beloved by my stepsons and their mom and stepdad! Is there any better luck than having a blended family that is truly close?

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a family of blood relatives, of course. The good news is that good friends can become family to each other. I have had a framed sign for decades that reads "Family is a group of friends that love you." It is no wonder that best friends often identify each other as sisters and brothers. Siblings!

There is a lot of angst in the country and in the world. I for one am really grateful to have so very much to be thankful for right now.