Thanksgiving Day. I’m thankful for so much. Family. Friends. Pets. Job. Home. Cars. Health. Life. And all that goes with living. Heartbeat. Breath. Circulatory system. Those things we assume will continue on, today, tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that.
So far, in this inauspicious year, that’s not been the case for so many. Oh, I know, this country has huge numbers of people dying every year simply because we have a huge population. But this year – this year – has been especially tragic. More than a quarter of a million more souls have been added to the mix of deaths due to COVID.
I have been fortunate. COVID has not yet touched me personally. It will though. Me, my wife, a friend, a family member, a coworker. At some point, it will. For now, I remain especially grateful it hasn’t.
COVID has become a daily part of our lives and frankly, it can be exhausting. So we have to focus on the good. The things we can be thankful for. Now more than ever. We are learning to manage this pandemic. We are learning about ourselves. Our capabilities. Our ability to adapt. This is a long and tragic road, one that will not soon end, but one that we are learning to navigate.
Good surrounds us. In the people who serve our communities. Heath care workers. Fire protection services. Police forces. Community outreach programs. Food banks. Teachers. Public transit personnel. Even our local governments, working to keep us safe. It’s all out there. The good stuff. You might just have to focus a little more.
Our country – and the rest of the world right along with us – is struggling. A raging pandemic. Political unrest. Racism. Violence. Wars. The voices of reason – yours, mine – must be heard. Look for the good. Speak to the good. Know that we can and will survive all of this. Know that we can absolutely be grateful for all the bad as it opens a window to all the good.
Take a deep breath and be thankful. Be thankful for that breath and for everything good and hopeful in your piece of the world. And have a happy Thanksgiving!
Namaste 🙏
~ jwb ~