Finding Gratitude During A Pandemic

Thanksgiving is just two weeks away.

So it's time to start thinking about things for which we are grateful. My first thought was, "This will be a really short list this year." The past 10 months have been awful for nearly everyone around the world. 

Kids can't safely attend school. People have lost their jobs. Small businesses (and some big ones) are out of business. Medical staff in hospitals are overwhelmed and burned out from caring for the endless stream of Covid patients. They are tired of watching their patients die. Even people who survive this terrible virus are often left with debilitating physical ailments, including mental impairment and cardiac issues. So far -- and things are likely going to get a lot worse before they get better -- more than 240,000 Americans have died of Covid-19. States set new records for Covid infections day after day. Hospitals have run out of beds. Social isolation and canceled vacation plans are taking a real toll on the nation's mental health. Except of course, those fools who refuse to wear masks or social distance or avoid large gatherings. 

It can be a bit of a challenge to find things for which to be grateful during the pandemic, when so many people are simply trying to survive and find some normalcy in life. Here are 27 items on my gratitude list:

• my wonderful home
• beautiful surroundings, including views of the mountains
• gorgeous blue skies
• a safe place to take walks
• good food, and plenty of it
• doctors, nurses and medical staff who took care of me earlier this year
• no debt
• a reliable car
• happy, healthy dogs to keep me company
• lots of sunshine
• opportunities to be kind to others
• quiet
• solitude
• hot showers
• privacy
• naps
• a comfortable bed
• books to read
• travel (in a normal year)
• photography
• good health
• inquisitive mind
• desire to keep learning
• my blue eyes
• warm winter clothing 
• an election system that works despite attempts to corrupt it
• a new administration that promises sanity and compassion
  

 I will spend Thanksgiving alone this year, as I did in 2019. My daughter lives in another state, and I don't want her to visit during the pandemic. I won't fix a special meal, and it will be just another day. But that doesn't mean I won't be thankful for the things I have.