Things to be thankful for
In these pandemic times, I sincerely believe there are many reasons to be thankful. Given the coronavirus has reached millions of people around the globe, one of the things for which one should be grateful is life itself. In my particular case, SARS-Cov-2 has impacted some members of my family. In one case, it happened a couple of times.
This illness has taken several the lives of in-laws and members of other close families. Unfortunately, in all these cases, few were able to say their goodbyes due to the protocols that prevent bringing together a large number of people.
Thus, those of us who have survived the virus can be truly grateful for being safe and healthy, thanks in large part to our behavior, which has been in accordance with what health authorities have demanded of us. Others, who have ignored the warnings and requests of the authorities, have fortunately managed to remain healthy despite everything. The latter, more than anyone, should be grateful for keeping their health and their lives.
Given the loss of jobs due to confinement and the decline sales, another reason that compels us to show appreciation is having a job. In addition to taking lives, the coronavirus has claimed many jobs. Unemployment levels have reached record figures not seen in years, while the support systems for the unemployed have not been able to provide help to those who need it most. Thus, having a source of employment to bring food to the table in these times should be another reason to express gratitude, even if it’s only part-time employment. In fact, having a roof over our heads should be enough to be grateful.
And looking a little forward, the truth is that it will also matter little if the Christmas dinner is delicious, if there will be multiple gifts on Dec. 25 or if the meeting will be pleasant. In fact, we should be content to celebrate separately and do with less. The virus has been spreading aggressively in recent weeks, raising the number of infected people, positive cases, active patients and, sadly, deaths. If we really want the coronavirus to stop affecting our community, to be able to return to a certain point to normality and reopen our already ailing economy, the best we could do is heed, now, the recommendations of health authorities.
If today we ignore the request of the authorities, surely by the beginning of next year we will have a major problem in terms of public health. With hospitals overflowing with patients and a shortage of facilities to serve those suffering from illnesses caused by the virus, normalcy will once again drift away thanks to our irresponsibility.
However, if the situation improves, it is very likely that within a year we will be able to enjoy our families and our friends in a great celebration, be it Thanksgiving or Christmas. It all depends on us. For now, I sincerely hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, regardless of the details of your particular celebration.