Thoughts On Giving Thanks

 Today isn't like many late November Thursdays for many people in the United States. Typically there would be big gatherings, lots of food, and maybe a bike ride, or probably a football game on the T.V. We'd not give a second thought to our 'traditions' and we'd simply go through the motions. But maybe not this year, right? 

You know, I typically don't veer far off the cycling path here on the blog, but today calls out for something a little different, don't you agree? Well, I do, and this is my blog, so......

I have been giving a lot of thought to how 2020 has really radicalized our entire culture. Both in good and bad ways, things have been shaken up, mixed around, taken away, and added to. However you look at it, you would have to agree, there has never been a time quite like this for any of the current generations on Earth. I have been giving thought to the various ways all this has affected my world. 

I have noted a few things, and foremost of all is that most of my contacts with humans close to me in family, business, and in the cycling world, such as it is, have all been much richer, deeper, and heartfelt than I can recall at any time previously. People genuinely seem to care about my health, my safety, and well......me. I noticed that I seem to be that way in regard to others as well. To be sure, not everyone is like this, but to say that there has been a noticeable uptick in caring and concern? Yes, I believe that is correct. We also all seem to be yearning for decency, compassion, kindness, and you know......just to see some character in others. Maybe I'm the only one, but even if I am the only one seeing this, I know it is real.

There was a time similar to this, when I felt the lines were blurred between people and we felt like we were all on a similar, if not the same, page. That was the period during the months following September 11th, 2001. It was a really special time when Americans seemed to be focused in the same, general direction, and things seemed a lot less divisive. This time things are deeper than that, and there is a great divide which is perceptible, but the 'good stuff' I see is stronger now than it ever was. 

Yet, one has to wonder that as we see some sort of hope that we will be coming through this dark valley that is COVID-19 someday, that we also won't see a similar fading away of 'the good stuff' as we did in 2003 and years later when any semblance of unity became a rare commodity amongst the American people. 

But for now, I am giving thanks for those of you who have reached out to me, to those of you who are doing things in a more intentionally compassionate way, even if it is a small thing. It matters. 

My hope for all of you is that you see what I have seen, that you grab hold of that vision, and that you cultivate it despite any future 'return to normal', because a lot of what was our past "normal" isn't anything to be valued. 

Happy Thanksgiving.