Ask NASA Climate | November 21, 2016, 14:04 PST

This Thanksgiving, let's be thankful for planet Earth

By Laura Faye Tenenbaum and Holly Shaftel

The Midwestern United States illuminated by a patchwork quilt of light as seen from the International Space Station (ISS). The aurora borealis also shines brightly in this view.

Sigh. Sometimes life feels heavy.

Even as the holidays approach and we’re all supposed to be in a holiday spirit, supposed to be joyous. Sometimes we’re just not there.

But, as always, NASA gives me the opportunity to look at Earth from the highest perspective. From above, the world appears remote and untouched. There’s nothing but the timeless, immaculate and infinite beauty of our planet.

Sigh.

Together, you and I get to take this opportunity to share thankfulness for our Earth and everything pristine and beautiful about it.

A creek at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. — I took this photo of a creek at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

Thank you for reading. I really mean it.

Laura