Thanksgiving, as every American understands, is a time to come together with loved ones in gratitude and celebration of life. Families gather in their homes bonded by mutual love and appreciation.

During Thanksgiving, home is exemplified as a safe haven. Home is a place to turn to for solace, a place to relax, and for students, a place to rejuvenate after the difficulties of the first quarter of the school year.

But while we are surrounded by family in the midst of the festivities, we often forget that not everyone else has the same privilege of safety that we do. Not everyone has a safe home to turn to. Not everyone has a family they feel safe around.

For some students, the lack of comfort comes from their gender or sexuality. Unaccepting relatives require students to hide their identity and pretend to be someone they are not. For others, broken homes and abusive family members make them yearn for peace. Their holiday season is chaotic and incomplete.

If you have a friend that has these problems, we at The Tower implore you to reach out to them. Make sure they are safe, and know they are loved. If they need to get out of their homes, go on walks with them or run errands together. If an option, offer your home as a place for them to turn. And on Thanksgiving while you enjoy yourself surrounded by family and friends, please keep those who may not have the same privilege as you in your mind and prayers.

With this message, we do not want you to feel guilty for having a safe place to go during the holidays while others do not. Our goal is not to make you feel poorly. Instead, we hope that you extend grace to those who struggle to get through the holidays. During this time, gratitude should not be contained in the confines of your home, and instead be expressed to the public for anyone that may need help during this time of the year.