Thanksgiving 2020 and COVID-2019

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Every day is a day to give thanks.

I understand the importance of making us pause on specific dates, such as Thanksgiving, to appreciate family, friends, and life in general. Some of these holy days, called holidays, also have roots in genocide, deceit, and religious attempts to transform awful events into something better.

This blog post is not about the meanings behind holidays. It intends to get you to think about your health during the holiday season and how you can make gratitude a daily practice in your life.

Now, please tell me you stayed put! Some fears are good because they can save your life. This year, the increase in US corona cases is cause for reconsideration about the turkey dinner at grandma's house.

Grandma is up in age. Suppose she catches the virus from us, the chances of lethal complications will increase. I have a student who lost his great auntie and uncle in the same week due to COVID-19.

With access to technology and Zoom, you can give thanks from the safety of your home. I told my sister, who canceled her LA Thanksgiving trip, to bring the emojis, and I will get the LOLs. Thanksgiving is virtual this year!

Somehow, I still managed to miss the Thanksgiving Zoom call yesterday. I was asleep.

No, holidays are not the same without being in-person with loved ones. I get it. I planned to go home and visit with family. Ms. Corona’s latest surge decided traveling is not a good look for us.

What can we do to make gratitude an everyday thing we do?

Start your mornings by identifying five people, experiences, or things that you are grateful for in life. Record responses in a journal, notebook, or phone app. If you have children, encourage them to follow your lead.

Before my three children are allowed to turn on electronics in the morning, they must show me what they are grateful for in their lives. The pictures in this post are examples of their gratitude lists.

We have a lot to be grateful for this year. Let's begin with the obvious; we are alive. As of this morning, we have survived the madness of 2020 that included the virus and a surplus of unexplainable events.

Gratitude is all around us. It’s in the breath of fresh air and sip of clean water. Let’s stop the rat race and open our eyes to the blessings that every day brings.

What are you grateful for today?

This year I am giving thanks at home in Antigua. I have much to be grateful for, but I will spare the details in this space. The episode that I released yesterday to our YouTube channel captures some of the adventures and everyday things that I am grateful for during this holiday season.

See my family’s brief gratitude video below.

This 500-word something, Thanksgiving focus, post is digestible in three brief sentences.

1. Stay at home.

2. Create a Zoom meeting for a virtual holiday dinner.

3. Make gratitude a daily thing you do.

In the holiday spirit, share this post with one person and subscribe to this blog with this link.