A front-page article in the Wall Street Journal’s Nov. 21 edition said middle class U.S. residents are weary — buckling under the financial stress from inflation.

Early on, the article made the point that “after nearly five years of high prices, many middle-class earners thought life would be more affordable by now.”

But, the article continued, “costs for goods and services are 25% above where they were in 2020, and even though the inflation rate is below its recent 2022 high, certain essentials like coffee, ground beef and car repairs are up markedly this year.”

A college communications director living in Atlanta, who was quoted in the article, said, “Life felt more doable a year and a half ago. I need to know where the light is at the end of the tunnel.”

Amid this week in which the Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated, Americans can feel grateful — thankful — that they live in a country where issues of that kind can be debated, and where blame can be leveled, if they feel that is necessary.

Many Americans fail to lump “thanks opportunities” such as that, at all levels of government and community, into their lists of reasons to be thankful on this day.

Broadening their mindset regarding this special day can add substance to their lives that can be beneficial to them throughout the year.

And, despite the heaviness of such topics that their thought processes might encounter, there still can be time for the kinds of nostalgia that usually are associated with this day, even with the many distractions that otherwise are a part of this observance, including pro football, the abundance of food and drink, as well as preparations for Black Friday shopping that in many families remains a tradition.

On the nostalgia “landscape,” Thanksgiving is a great day to remember celebrations of past years and the people who made them special — grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, friends, as well as anyone else.

Think back as far as you can into your childhood and the anticipation and excitement you harbored in connection with this holiday, even without knowledge of the whys connected to it.

If you are old enough, you might recall some of the snowy weather that the holiday entailed — a time when wintry weather seemed to last so much longer.

At some point early in your life, you learned that Thanksgiving meant that Christmas and all of the celebrations, gifts and Santa Claus that would be part of it were just around the corner.

For many families it was part of a simpler, less stressful time but busy nonetheless.

But although much has changed over the years, the basic premise of why Thanksgiving remains an important holiday is built permanently into American lives.

Enjoy this holiday, celebrate it safely and use it to rekindle family loyalties in your own special way, amid your own special people and activities.

Inflation? Put the thought of it and anything else negative aside, even if only for this one day.

The Nov. 21 Journal article said “the U.S. middle class encompasses a broad cross section of the nation” and that “perpetual sticker shock is making many within the group feel worse about both their own finances and the future of the country. They are hunting for bargains and spending more carefully.”

But that’s something for tomorrow, not Thanksgiving Day.