Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here in the United States. The tradition is that on this day we gather with family and friends, eat a big meal, and focus on being thankful for what we have. But doing this might not be possible for all of us.
Although there’s been progress made on containing the COVID-19 pandemic, some of you may feel safer to not get together with others. Also, as COPD360social has members from around the world, you may live somewhere that doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving. If you live with a chronic lung condition, it simply might be hard sometimes to feel thankful. You may be feeling the loss of what you were once able to do, the loss of your formerly good health that gave you no cause for concern, or something else. So—as individuals with a chronic condition and members of a global, diverse community—what do we do about Thanksgiving 2021?
Well, here on COPD360social, we’re reminded every day that it’s possible that changes in our life with COPD may make us more mindful of many good things in life. These good things may be even more heartfelt because we feel at risk of losing them. COPD can actually lead us to find new opportunities: to give us a chance to slow down, learn new things, meet new people, and even have an opportunity to help others. Simply, sometimes something that may at first seem devastating can actually bring us many good things. And for this, we are thankful.
If you find yourself alone on Thanksgiving Day, we invite you to come here, to spend time with us in this wonderful community. Wherever you may be on this earth, and wherever you are in your COPD journey, we welcome you! So, let’s promise ourselves to make every day a day to be thankful for the good things we have, sharing our stories, our smiles, and our tears, through the friendship and support we find here.
Last year at this time I asked you to consider jotting down some things you were thankful for. And you did! I invite you to do that again, and if you’re so inclined, we’d love for you to share it here with us.
Here’s my list. I am thankful…
- That my children, their spouses, and their children live close by.
- That I have time to write.
- For dear friends—old and new.
- For a renewed friendship that brings me validation and smiles.
- Love.
- Music.
- Laughter.
- For the things my parents taught me.
- For a tiny backyard fire pit to enjoy with my husband on dark, chilly nights.
- And…for all of you here in this amazing community who inspire me every day!
What’s on your list? I look forward to hearing from you!