Tags
attitude of gratitude, covid-19, fall, holiday season, life with covid, pandemic, thanksgiving, world war ii
I feel like another “Dear blog, it’s not you, it’s me” post is in order, but I’ve never been one for long, drawn-out apologies, so here you go: I’m back, sorry for being gone so long, all good? Great. 😀
Okay. So first, I’m here to assure anyone who might be wondering that I’m still alive over here, albeit not very active on the blogging front. I’m hoping that will change. But like I’ve mentioned before, I am still writing in other areas and outlets. Just not here. (Sorry, my poor blog. Okay, no more apologizing.)
Anyway, secondly, today is one of my favorite holidays, and the start of maybe my favorite time of year (Christmas — it’s in the running with fall…but here in California with its mild/late winters, Christmas might as well be in the fall). But with the monumental changes to our world this year, it’s shaping up to be a much different holiday season than most of us alive have ever experienced.
But it’s got me thinking. I wonder, if we could talk to our grandparents and great-grandparents about their experiences during the war years, if they would say something to the effect of, You pipsqueaks, get it together. This is nothing.
No, they didn’t have to deal with a pandemic along with blackouts and rationing and air raids and all that, but then again, we have so many more conveniences nowadays, that even with the current lockdowns and restrictions, it seems like we have it much easier in some ways than they did.
Plus, we still have our unlimited supplies of turkey and ham and all the rest of those necessary delicacies that come with a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast.
Not only were meat, cheese, butter, and other foods rationed during World War II, but also families were faced with gasoline and tire rationing. And likely many other shortages that I’m unaware of. Not to mention the fact that many loved ones were overseas or otherwise absent from family gatherings with the war effort.
We also might be dealing with travel restrictions and isolation from loved ones, but we are blessed with technology and methods of keeping in touch — face-to-face, if we choose — that a family in 1942 never would have had at their disposal.
I admit that there are many reasons for sadness and disappointment this year, but there really are just as many reasons to be grateful, if you think about it. And believe me, I have to think about it for a good while, but they are there.
I’ve been trying to keep gratitude strong in my mind lately, at least when I think about it (which sometimes isn’t very often). But I want to do it more and make it a habit. For a while I was writing down three things I’m grateful for every day, something I’d like to start up again.
Things change when you have an overall attitude of gratitude. Both mentally/emotionally and even physically. Science has shown that you can literally change the chemistry of your brain when you start to express gratitude for things/people/situations in your life (even things that may not have occurred yet), and it’s even more powerful when paired with strong emotional feelings like joy and love. And I guess gratitude itself can be considered an emotion.
You’re not just mentally saying the words “I’m thankful,” but you’re also feeling that thankfulness down to your very core. That’s when things really begin to transform.
That’s all for now, but I’m planning to be back with more soon.
I wish you and your family a very safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving!
Credit for header photo: Lucie Liz on Pexels
Laura said:
Thanks for this post, and it is something that has been on my mind too. I am really into genealogy and history, and I think about my relatives living through the 1918 Spanish flu, WW1, WW2, the Great Depression – and I think we today can be (are!) rather wimpy!
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Heather said:
Thanks for your comment! Glad you enjoyed this post. Yes, I realized later I should have mentioned the flu pandemic of 1918…I think people endured a similar experience of quarantining and other restrictions like we are now, but I can’t imagine how much harder it would have been for them, with lower quality of medical facilities/equipment, lack of modern technology and conveniences, and plus, coming off the heels of a terrible world war. We can definitely be wimpy people these days even with all the comfort we enjoy!
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Kathryn Alyson said:
Happy Thanksgiving, Heather😊
Sent from my iPhone.
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Heather said:
Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well 🙂
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Ryan Callahan said:
Amen, well said! Happy Thanksgiving! God bless!!
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Heather said:
Thank you for the comment! Glad you enjoyed this post. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!
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Jhciacb said:
Excellent. As I sit today, also in California, I have my mother beside me — my only company. She survived the great depression, World War II, and ran the iron lung during the polio epidemic. This whole year she’s been full of stories about what real adversity is like.
Right now I’m talking into a phone, with an 80” TV screen in front of me, and Thanksgiving dinner will be delivered. Oh, the heartache…
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Heather said:
Wow, amazing. I can only imagine the stories she has to tell! Yep, we really have it so hard these days, right? 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment and hope you are having a blessed Thanksgiving day.
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