For most of us, the holidays have really snuck up. With post-pandemic conditions still trying to normalize, there is a renewed sense of hope. Perhaps this year, we will begin to, once again, live life the way that we missed so much throughout the past two years. As we start to think about gathering food for our Thanksgiving meals and thanking the heavens that we can once again be surrounded by the people we love, there is so much to be thankful for. I thought it was time to speak of all the ways I am blessed. And I wanted to share with those around me.
The Positive of COVID
I know, it is difficult to think that anything good came out of the pandemic. But, as with everything, there is always a silver lining and it is no different with COVID. What I learned over the past two years is that there is no substitute for the people we love. In previous years leading up to the holidays, we ran around worried about black Friday. And worried incessantly about what to get the people on their holiday list. This year, the last thing I am thinking about is catalogs and presents. The things that excite me aren’t going to be wrapped and unwrapped. I get to sit with my family, and my new grandchild, and spend time creating memories. I am thankful that the holiday spirit has reined over commercialism, and we are all valuing and seeing things differently.
Coming Together as a Community and Remembering the True Meaning of Friendships
Although we were forced to separate and distance, it ironically brought the community together. We were collectively reminded that it is our responsibility to take care of those in our lives who might not have someone looking out for them. Since social media took over our lives, our “friends” had become superficial and distant. Where once we thought keeping people on standby and peeking into their lives was an advantage, COVID taught us that it is a true friendship that means the most. Don’t get me wrong, it is nice to keep in touch with people over the internet, but there is no substitute for hugging our friends in real-life.
A Slower Pace
When many of us heard that we could no longer go out and do what we used to, we thought it was going to be a nightmare. But once we got used to the world slowing down, not being so rushed, taking the time to reconnect with our close family members, and finding things to do with one another, the slower pace became a Godsend. Most of us are happy that things are moving in the direction of what they used to, but will both cherish the time we had to focus on those we love dearly and continue to remind ourselves that it is the little things and the quiet times that mean the most.
Technology Isn’t the Enemy
One shout-out we have to acknowledge is that media and technology might, at some times, be a curse. But if it were not for zoom meetings, google meet up, and forums like FaceTime, it would have been a truly hard time for us all. I know that I am way more engaged and get to “see” my grandchildren much more often even when they aren’t close. And that, in and of itself, is enough to be grateful for.
The True Meaning
Perhaps the biggest takeaway that most of us have is the true meaning of special occasions and “things”. As we move toward the Thanksgiving holiday, it isn’t going to be about who cooks the most extravagant meal. Christmas won’t be about what type of presents we get under the tree. And New Year’s will be more than just toasting a glass of champagne. As we sit around our holiday tables and break bread with people we might not have seen for too long, we will only be thinking about how blessed we are to have one more moment with those who we are so grateful to have in our lives.