Thanksgiving 2020
Thanksgiving 2020 is like none we have seen in a long time. The pandemic is on course to kill over 400,000 Americans. The Presidential transition is rocky. The CDC tells us to stay home and not gather, and yet 5,000,000 are traveling. This may become the biggest super-spreader yet.
For me, this is my first Thanksgiving since my wife died in March, and one which because of the pandemic limits travel to be with any of my kids. So, my cat and I are celebrating together. I wonder how many others are having a solitary Thanksgiving and how many are going without food because of the pandemic. The number of people who are currently alone, or who will become alone is growing every year. This is a societal problem that we need to be more aware of and one we should each help solve. So, for your next holiday dinner include someone alone. It will enrich both your lives.
Loneliness, sorrow, and worry are a sign of the times. But we can look past this. We can find things to be grateful for during this time. Our family used to place a few kernels of raw corn by each place setting at the table to remind us to think of those things we are grateful for today.
I am grateful for:
The health of my kids, grandkids, and myself during these perilous times
The frontline workers who are working tirelessly with the pandemic patients
The scientists and the vaccines coming to us
The people working every day to get food to the food insecure
The people who are following the CDC guidelines and wearing masks
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”
—John F. Kennedy.
But tomorrow we must get back to work and fight the war against the Pandemic. Let’s all cooperate and work together to reduce the number of people who may yet die. Let’s focus 145,000,000 Americans who cared enough to vote on the problems we need to solve together.
Let’s fix these problems together:
Providing health care for everyone
Changing the immigration laws so we can strengthen our country through diversity, find a better way to deal with refugees
Amend the voting rights act so everyone can vote, and the states can’t disenfranchise anyone
Fix the legal system so become a country of law and order once again
Redefine work so we are ready for people to earn a living wage for their families, allows for teen to work during the summers and earn some money, and prepares us for the future affects of technology on our lives
Fix the education system so people learn how to think rather than just regurgitate facts from the books
Redefine society so we all can live a thankful life.
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
—Oprah Winfrey
