Chris McCandless read Doctor Zhivago shortly before he starved in the Alaskan wilderness. In the margin he wrote, “HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED.” His note remarks on a scene where Yuri, back in Moscow from the war, is given a duck and a bottle of vodka. The city is starving, and the duck tastes wrong. Yuri blamed the city’s hunger, McCandless saw something different.

Thanksgiving, some years ago, Maria and I invite friends over for dinner. Early that morning we put a brisket in the smoker and I take elk and deer loin steaks out of the freezer to thaw. The brisket is almost ready when people start arriving that evening. I put the steaks on a pan of smoking hot olive oil. Three minutes on one side. Three minutes on the other. Then three minutes finishing on the block before cutting and serving.

Most of these friends have never eaten either deer or elk. They hesitate at first. And then quickly finish what’s there.

Happiness is an elk steak shared amongst friends. Sitting down to feast is glue that holds people together, and has been since our species came down out of trees.

I still cook elk steaks, and quickly finish what’s there. But it doesn’t quite have the same seasoning when friends aren’t there to share it.