Holiday Season 2020
We all love holidays – especially the November and December holidays – the time for warmth, good food and get-togethers with those we love and care about. Life has its struggles and holidays provide the much-needed respite and comfort that make our day-to-day struggles easier to bear.
BUT, it’s 2020. Gatherings are a no-no. The risks are too high. You know, and so do I, that once the family gets together, there’ll be no face masks. Somehow strangely, we confuse love and trust with safety from a deadly virus.
The virus has no respect for our feelings or family ties. There is no 100% safe way to celebrate holidays as usual. Being tested right beforehand isn’t foolproof. You might be already incubating the virus and still test negative. That’s a shortcut to a disaster. You might have tested negative; you may have no symptoms and still infect those you love most with Covid-19. Some of them may become very ill, some may die. That’s a too high a price to pay for a few moments of joy.
Personally, I’d rather abstain from traditional celebrations than risk spreading the virus or hurt someone’s feelings by wearing a face mask indoors. (Many interpret the wearing of a face mask indoors as a personal insult.) It’s just not worth it! Give it a thought, PLEASE!
2020 wasn’t – and isn’t – a normal year. The countries that have already won the war on Covid-19, imposed temporary but strict rules that included mandatory face masks and a ban on social gatherings. Now, their citizens are enjoying life, again: face masks-free. Our discomfort may last another 3 or 6 months before life resumes. Let’s sacrifice what has to be sacrificed now, so we can ALL celebrate the next holiday season, together. In 2020 celebrating alone, calling or using Zoom may just be the appropriate way to express love.
Let’s be grateful for what is: whom and what you have.
If you lost a loved one recently – to the killer-virus or otherwise – cherish the memories you’re left with. You and your life wouldn’t have been the same without him or her. Loss hurts and mourning takes time, but the reason you’re hurting is that the person who passed on was precious to you, added meaning and value to your life. Even though you’re mourning, you are better thanks to the person’s presence. Love and appreciation don’t die. Neither do memories. You have plenty to be grateful for. Your job now is to keep memories alive and live to validate yourself as well as the person who is no longer here.
Let’s be thankful for the many heroes among us. The first responders, doctors and nurses, essential workers and the selfless angels who run food banks and food distribution for those in need.
Let us be thankful for what still is. Let’s cherish our memories. Let’s be grateful for “our” people. Let’s be grateful for the many angels among us. Let’s be patient a little longer. The small acts of self-denial today, will pay off. Life will come back.
Happy Holiday Season 2020.
Let these Holidays be small, quiet and above all: SAFE!
Photo: Joseph Gonzalez on Unsplash
