This Thanksgiving was a quiet one, just my husband and
me. Most of the people I know celebrated
with just their households; some celebrated as couples and some friends were
alone. Our COVID-19 numbers have
skyrocketed all over the country and health official had warned people to stay
home. I did FaceTime with my grandson
and I talked on the phone to my daughters, my mom, and a sister. I confirmed with my mom that we would not be
coming for Christmas since it’s not safe.
This is not the first time we have celebrated Thanksgiving
alone. It did allow us to be more
relaxed. I made a pecan pie the night
before. On Thanksgiving morning we
watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade as usual (but it was altered) and
then I made the cranberry jello salad.
After lunch we started the barbeque in preparation for the turkey. The afternoon was spent cooking. We set the dining room table with the china
and silver then lit a candle. Bob and I
enjoyed a delicious meal for two—and there are lots of leftovers.
As I reflect on this holiday, I can make a long list of the
things for which I am thankful. Others
have been posting similar things online.
This has been a difficult year with lots of disappointments. We are definitely luckier than many other
people, but still it’s been hard. We
know that this pandemic will not end anytime soon. But I could make a list.
It seems important to look at the bigger picture rather than
making lists. Sitting at the table with
my husband, I felt a sense of peace. . . and I felt gratitude for my life. No matter what happens, I know God is present
and there is love. In the big scheme of
things, this is just a blip in time. We
will get back to some sort of normal, perhaps even an improved normal. A new President and Vice-President will take
office on January 20. They will not be
able to fix the mess right away but this country will start to move in the
right direction. In this quieter time, I
have taken the opportunity to look around me.
We live in a beautiful world, a diverse world. I know so many wonderful people. There is music and there is laughter. There is more than enough love to go
around. I am grateful to our creator for
all of this.
