Thanksgiving Reflection: In a Year of Turmoil, What Are You Most Grateful For?

[Charmed Life Picks]

I'd just as soon we skipped 2020 and go right to 2021. But our daughter gave us our first grandchild this year, Maxon Laurence Marquez, and we're nuts about him.

How about you? In this year of so much challenge and unprecedented disruption, what keeps your hopes up?

[NormanKliman]

With 38 days to go, I’m guessing you meant to say 2021 and 2022.

I’ll start by mentioning this message board, because it’s a nice place and it’s something we all have in common.

I’m getting better at understanding the harmonies and rhythms of the music I listen to, and that’s encouraging. Similarly, I’m getting better at knowing my limitations. As Clint said onscreen, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” For me, that means knowing in advance not to waste time on something that isn’t going to work (for me).

I’ve got enough guitar repertoire to keep me interested for at least a few more years, and there’s plenty of stuff that I’ll study when the time comes.

There's still a long way to go, but it's looking more and more like we're going to beat this effing virus, so I'm looking forward to 2021.

Oh, I forgot to congratulate you on your grandchild. You set a high bar with that photo!

[RP]

So, so many things - my health, a roof over my head in a very comfy home, food on the table, health/well-being of family, access to an indoor swimming pool, cars that run, financial comfort, and a general joyfulness and happiness in my life...

[M19]

That our family is all still working and healthy. The iPad on the dining room table is going to be weird, but we've done many on-line get-togethers this year, so just another one.

[buddyhu]

Originally Posted by RP

So, so many things - my health, a roof over my head in a very comfy home, food on the table, health/well-being of family, access to an indoor swimming pool, cars that run, financial comfort, and a general joyfulness and happiness in my life...

Same for me: many, many things that I am grateful for. Perhaps the biggest: my wife’s routine mammogram revealed a “very treatable” breast cancer in its very early stages, and she has received treatment and the side effects of the treatments have mostly receded; I am grateful that this was identified so early, that the prognosis is very positive, and that she has weathered the rigors of treatment quite well.

And on a smaller scale (which is most pertinent to AGF), I am grateful for the joy and satisfaction that guitars have brought to my life this past year, and for the opportunities to play with others (outside jams) and to share my music (my first two gigs) with others this past Summer.

Hoping that the ugliness of 2020 is resolving, and that people will begin to remember how to be kinder, more cooperative, and gentler with one another. It is possible to disagree without being disagreeable, abusive, and/or contemptuous.

[AX17609]

I’ve decided to give up golf and direct the savings into building a wine cellar. So there’s that.

[imwjl]

Where does one begin. I'll say happy for my intact family. Happy that my 3 kids are making better choices than I did at same ages. Happy their grandmothers are with us.

Outside of immediate family, 2020 means I observe my wife teaching via Zoom. I see she's still reaching kids with challenges even though you could say it's not touching them directly.

At work the company does a lot of community giving. A food bank partnership this time of year. Yesterday someone named Anonymous dropped a serious amount of cash in a collection trusting a grocery store with good reputation will feed people who need it. Someone came into one store, bought the 59 turkeys she found out on retail floor, and instructed our delivery operation to drop it off at a food bank.

Edit: I'm adding nurses. I saw a friend's wife made news again. She's an ICU nurse who made news earlier on steps and innovation she did for patient and family communication in these times. She made local news again for her leadership because our being a regional health care center is in some crisis right now. I'm very thankful for the special people like that. Not just being an ICU nurse but doing special stuff beyond mechanics of the job.

[rokdog49]

Sadly, I can’t post what I’m most grateful for...against forum rules.
In light of that, I’m pretty much grateful for my family and friends.

[KevWind]

I am most grateful for the continuing parade of wildlife large and small that we experience on an almost daily basis

[rmp]

The thing I am most grateful for is that the members of our family are all well and healthy and that we are coming close to the end of a house rebuild from a devastating house fire in March. We should be able to move back home in January. (the place looks amazing.)

With all that goes along with recovering from something like this (and for those who have gone thru this, you all know what that means) add to that, getting thru this pandemic, man... what a ride..

and hey.. I'm still sane! That's a bonus.

[Eric S.]

As a total introvert, I am grateful that I can stay home for days at a time and no one gets on my case for it.

[Music-N-Yarn]

Charmed Life set the bar really high with a first grandbaby. Congrats on the little bundle of joy!

What am I most grateful for in this year of weird? Not going to list the things I am thankful for every year at this time, but will say this year has made me extra thankful for all of them.

Unique to this year though would be a supervisor who went above and beyond to prepare her staff for the move to mobile work. Also very supportive coworkers, new reliable internet, tons and tons of free or inexpensive live and recently taped concerts, a better job for my son, knowing my high risk daughter in law is also working from her home during this weirdness.

Thanks for asking. Kind of dealing with some non holiday stuff, and guess I needed to see my list in print, or at least ponder it a little early.

[RP]

Originally Posted by Eric S.

As a total introvert, I am grateful that I can stay home for days at a time and no one gets on my case for it.

As a fellow introvert I agree that others fail to understand our fondness for being WAIT FOR IT.....

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Music-N-Yarn

Charmed Life set the bar really high with a first grandbaby. Congrats on the little bundle of joy!

What am I most grateful for in this year of weird? Not going to list the things I am thankful for every year at this time, but will say this year has made me extra thankful for all of them.

Unique to this year though would be a supervisor who went above and beyond to prepare her staff for the move to mobile work. Also very supportive coworkers, new reliable internet, tons and tons of free or inexpensive live and recently taped concerts, a better job for my son, knowing my high risk daughter in law is also working from her home during this weirdness.

Thanks for asking. Kind of dealing with some non holiday stuff, and guess I needed to see my list in print, or at least ponder it a little early.

Yeah, I agree, pretty hard to top with anything in MY life either. So incredible and miraculous.

Hey folks, will come back over the next couple days to reflect on and respond to some of your thoughts. Appreciate your honesty, candor, and spirit.

scott

[H165]

I have been, for about 45 years, trying to put a label on it, but I'm stuck between good luck, good timing, or "unexplained outside assistance" to describe the reason I have yet to meet anyone with a happier life than mine. Whichever it is, I'm thankful for it.

As for 2020, I'm thankful that the people around me are as interested in staying healthy as I am. Oh...and also for Wintergrass (made it just under the wire).