A Thanksgiving more somber than joyful

To the Editor:

Unless you are a very small child, you will always remember the Thanksgiving of 2020.  For many of us, this was a Thanksgiving to be suffered through more than enjoyed — a Thanksgiving that was more somber than joyful.

To me, Thanksgiving means family, and this year, some of our family were missing. I was blessed to be able to share the day with my husband, sister, and two cousins, but it wasn’t the same without my niece and her family who are always part of our gathering. This year, because of health concerns, we decided it would be wise to celebrate separately.

However you celebrated Thanksgiving, you no doubt did it differently this year too. You probably improvised, sacrificed, and even abandoned family traditions.

Some of you decided to celebrate on a smaller scale; some volunteered to deliver prepared meals to those in need; some postponed the holiday altogether to wait for a vaccine; others disregarded protocols and forged ahead with large gatherings; and sadly some spent the day alone in self- or forced isolation.

Each holiday is a blessing and affords us the opportunity to once again come together as a family to celebrate what is most important. Once the special day has passed, we can never get it back.

Time marches on, and we only hope we will have another chance next year, and that no one will be missing from our circle. The events of recent times reinforce for us the age-old lesson that we should not take anything for granted.

Sandra Sorell

Voorheesville

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