Many thanks

My guy and I were talking. About spring projects we wanted to tackle, trips we want to take, upcoming holiday plans (which mainly involve being at home this year.)

Then I stopped and said, "Do you think we should wait and see if we're even here next spring?" 

We both laughed and I thought of what a friend called obituaries: the Irish Sporting News. Then that made me think of what stories I want to tell the grandchildren about this year - provided we get there. 

• Working extra hours, due to COVID-related issues
• Watching health care providers where I work come into work every day in spite of the risks -- to care for the people who need them
• Seeing the community step up to support health care workers, residents and patients. An amazing journey of faith.
• Writing out living wills and having to make decisions about respirators
• Attending the funeral of a playwright who had been a wonderful mentor
• Canceling my trip to see family on the east coast in March and then August
• My son and his fiance canceling their trip out to see us
• Crying; panicking; promising myself I would see them all next year
• Chasing down wipes and toilet paper
• Rows of empty shelves in the grocery store
• Helping my husband through a terrible bout of shingles that nearly blinded him
• The support of family and friends through this ordeal
• Seeing the world fire up after George Floyd's death at the hands of four policeman
• Talking with family and friends in ways we hadn't talked before
• Working on a book and starting research on a play
• Zooming in to celebrate my son and his fiance getting married in a funny, beautiful ceremony at the home of a friend this summer
• More Zoom family gatherings at Passover, Mother's and Father's Days
• A Zoom play reading with a short play I wrote broadcast by the Rimon Jewish Arts Council
• Walking around a lake on beautiful days and pretending there was no pandemic
• Zooming into fall high holy day services at my son's synagogue
• Watching things get worse but believing they will get better

I'm mainly writing this down so I can see all the people and things I'm grateful for.

That means you! Thank you for sharing your stories with me.

Thank you for listening and reading mine, too.

Thanksgiving photo: Faith Goble