In tumultuous 2020, there’s still plenty to be thankful for

Date: 11/20/2020

And what are you thankful for?

That is the question we ask others and ourselves every year, but this year the query is far more charged.

When such a year has been so incredibly bad, when the term “dumpster fire” so accurately describes the events of this year, it’s hard to think about positive events.

For many, many people it may be a grueling exercise to find things for which one can be thankful.

We have lived in a pandemic that has killed more than a quarter-million people. Right now as the holiday approaches, the spread of the disease is at its worst in many states.

Far from being an event around which people can rally to support efforts to contain it, the pandemic has been politicized and weaponized. Wear a mask in the wrong situation? You may be the object of immediate criticism from those who don’t believe that COVID-19 is a problem.

Too many people have erred on the side of stupidity. Locally, we have seen how one university has had to go remote because too many of its students broke a curfew in order to attend off-campus Halloween parties. The disease spread accordingly.

What. The. Heck.

Families have been torn up by differences in opinion about COVID-19.

The pandemic has set off one of the worst economic disasters in American history. Entire segments of the economy have been incredibly damaged. People are hurting and to make matters worse recent aid legislation has been held up in the Senate.

The social unrest in this nation is unrelated to the pandemic – although communities of color are suffering more from the disease – but the fuse was lit by terrible incidents that are examples of systemic racism.

The presidential campaign divided the nation even more. By remarks made during the campaign, President Trump signaled he would use a narrative that he was cheated out of reelection if he lost. He has refused to concede and refused to release funds for a transition of power.

You have to go back more than 100 years to find a presidential election that approached the messed-up factor as much as this one.

All of these major events added fuel to that dumpster fire. On top of that we had the great – and unnecessary –  toilet paper shortage; the continual shortage of certain disinfectants; the elimination of many sporting events; the closing of movie theaters;  and the discovery of murder hornets.

Should I stop?

With all of that going on, it is tough to try to forget it for a day to count our blessings. I get it.

I think, though, whatever is good in our lives should be celebrated. We need to find those things large or small to reassure ourselves.

I’m thankful my wife and I have not contracted the virus. It has struck members of our family and I’m thankful they are recovering.

I’m thankful I still have a job, although the remote aspect of it has made it quite difficult at times. Yes, our company has been affected like many businesses in this nation, but we are hanging in there and I’m thankful for the support of our advertisers and readers.

I’m thankful for an excellent staff and colleagues who consistently go the extra mile to complete our task here.

I’m thankful to still have hope for the future.

I hope that all of you have the best Thanksgiving you possibly can.