With Thanksgiving approaching, I’ve been reflecting on the different forms of gratitude—the kind that is cultivated in various greetings and gatherings, and the kind that appears spontaneously when we witness something deeply touching.

A few days ago, I watched a Fireside Chat between a young couple, Joe and Jessica DiMeo, and Bill Villafranco of MyFace, an organization supporting people with facial differences. Their story really inspired me.

On the surface, they’re like many young couples. They love to travel. They adore their dogs. They feel most alive outdoors (Jessica) or driving different sports cars (Joe), sharing time in the kitchen, and they laugh easily. To listen to them, you might simply hear two people in love.

Listening more, you discover there’s just a bit more to their story than that. Joe, you see, experienced a devastating car crash when he was just 18. Burned over 80% of his body, he was left with almost no face or hands. When offered a rare and risky face-and-hand transplant, he accepted a 50% chance of survival. Not for appearance. But to regain what he valued most, his independence.

Jessica, a transplant nurse in another city, first connected with Joe online. What she saw in Joe, what attracted her to him, was his confidence, the way he met life on its terms, no matter how great the challenge he faced. They grew to find in each other a spirit that doesn’t shrink from adversity but meets it with hope.

As someone close to the MyFace community for many years, I know that facial differences can challenge one’s sense of belonging and self-worth. Some differences are subtle. Others can be startling to the untrained eye. The courage it takes to meet the world as you are—and to trust that love, connection, and possibility still exist—is something I hold in deep respect.

So, today, my gratitude extends beyond thanks for what I have in my life to include: