In a few days many of us will gather with family and friends to celebrate the holidays and ring in a new year. It is the time of year when we give thanks, open our hearts, make plans and goals for the future and reflect on the past.

  It can be a wonderful time. Think about it: Many of your most cherished memories were probably made during this time of year.

  At Feather Publishing, we can’t help looking back at the year. We are flipping through the pages of this year’s papers to compile our Year in Review feature that will appear in next week’s editions.

  At first glance, it looked like a pretty rough year for Plumas County. Almost everywhere you turned, people were being asked to make sacrifices. The school district, the county’s workers, local businesses … We were forced to make do with less than we had the year before.

  There were traumatic events. We had fatal accidents, a fatal shooting, home invasions and more burglaries than we would like to admit. And then there was a massive forest fire that affected all of us.

  It was a rough year.

  But despite all the events that rocked our lives, we have much to be thankful for. In the same pages that reported the bad news, we reported the uplifting events that make our community a great place to live.

  Almost every week there were stories about people and organizations helping the less fortunate: fund drives, charitable giving and neighbors helping neighbors. There were town parties and celebrations, local artists adding culture to our lives, and stories of people committed to making this a great place to live and raise a family.

  We have a talented and energetic new school superintendent and even a championship high school football team in Portola to brag about.

  Above all, just take a look outside. Look at this place we live. There are few locations in the world that can compare to the natural beauty of Plumas County.

  Yes, we have a lot to be thankful for.

  So, next week, when your goofy uncle has too much of the spiked eggnog, or you realize the new sweater you unwrapped is a couple sizes too small, try to put it in perspective. This is a time to be thankful. It’s a time for sharing. A time for giving.

  Giving doesn’t necessarily mean reaching in your pocket. You can give your time and your heart by reaching out to help and show you care. Make amends with someone. Help a friend in need. Better yet, help a perfect stranger.

  The fabric of this community is strong. It’s one of the reasons we choose to live here.

  Soon the holidays will be over and we will set our sights on a new year, with new challenges and new opportunities. And it is going to be a better year than 2012. We just have a feeling.