Thankfulness and Covid

I’ve thought a lot this week about thankfulness.  In particular, I have a recurring thought around Covid. (This post is not meant to be a political statement!)

Covid-19/wearing a mask/social distancing, etc…I wonder how I would feel about these issues if I hadn’t been diagnosed with cancer.  Probably like this: “I’m young, our family of 6 is healthy and Covid won’t really harm us.”  I’d roll my eyes at all the precautions and changes, and I’d feel annoyed at having to follow them.  But with the perspective of a cancer diagnosis, I am more mindful of others who suffer with illness or struggle with underlying conditions.

I’m thankful for many of you.  Many of you aren’t struggling with an underlying condition, you are fairly healthy and don’t worry what will happen if you get Covid.  But you are choosing to be extra cautious to take care of others.  You are making sacrifices, extra effort to protect the vulnerable population. Some of you wear your masks when you otherwise wouldn’t and get extra Covid tests just to be around our family.  Some of you have limited your social exposure or added extra burdens so that you can help and love on me.  Some of you have chosen to change/cancel your plans to be around us because you don’t want to possibly expose us to Covid.  Some of you are strangers, our paths don’t necessarily cross, but you still wear your mask and stay 6 feet apart at the store and in public.  Observing these actions has led me to the recurring thought of thankfulness. I am thankful to have a broad community that cares for vulnerable people during Covid.  I’m thankful for family, friends and people I don’t even know who have made sacrifices, not so much to protect themselves but to protect others. It is humbling to think of how many people are participating in daily, selfless actions, not to preserve themselves but to help people like me (with underlying illnesses) stay safe.  Thank you for loving me/others this way!