Giving Thanks in Isolation

Navigating a pandemic during the holidays

The holiday season fast approaches. Any normal year, this is the time we wind down our nomad travels and seek the comforts of time with family.

But as we all know, this is no normal year. Because of that, we’ve chosen to spend our holidays away from those we love.

I’m not an alarmist. And I don’t seek my answers in matters of health and safety from political pundits. I have my own biases, certainly. But when it comes to critically evaluating information, I seek the truth.

Truth is, I can’t go home.

Home…

Where was it? Our cozy palace on wheels? Or my old neighborhood where, as a boy, I’d romp through the creek and climb the massive cottonwood in our backyard?

My wife and I planned to return to our families for Thanksgiving. Both of our parents live within twenty minutes of each other with plenty of relatives and friends in between. Holidays have always been an exciting, but exhausting, shuttle from household to household. Plenty of love and pie to go around.

We’ll miss them this year. (Family and the pies. Family most.)

Throughout the American Midwest, most won’t heed the advice, even as the virus creeps inland. In some cases, I understand. Others?

Science and rational precaution have been turned into a political football. Half the nation has become distrustful of anything but the word of a failed real estate developer turned reality TV star. The rest cower away from lasting change under a career politician trying to ensure the survival of his fracturing party.

Truth? Is it even a consideration anymore?

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