Oh the infinite things we’ve needed to rescope this year, including our traditions for the holidays. Wow!
For our family, we rearranged our Thanksgiving events (including the day itself) six or seven times in the days preceding the holiday itself. We thought we’d planned for everything, even with the few of us planning on being together. The holiday result was we had no gathering other than those already in homes together. While disappointing, it’s led us to plan on being separate for Christmas and to be surprised, grateful and excited IF it becomes possible for us to gather at all.
We’re grateful for our family’s health and as such, we flexed as some potential COVID positive results hung in the wings. While we received valid negative reads for two people, they went to test with another person from work (where the positive result originated). Low and behold, our two family members were negative, and the third party was positive. Ah, the joys – they need to test again… None of us would’ve considered that as an issue.
Our day preceding Thanksgiving is a treasured one for several of us. We play our first holiday music, tell stories, laugh and make delicious food for our anticipated guests and loved ones. This year, more than ever, cooking with just two of us, we had more time to reflect. We did laugh and enjoy our day nonetheless; and it was sobering.
We had more time to reflect on what we take for granted, the gift of family, friends and also appreciating those who are no longer with us. It was sobering, and grief filtered in amidst the joy of packing up meals to share with those we wouldn’t see. We made the best of it and planned a few surprises for Thanksgiving itself. We made the best of it, though I’m tired of doing so.