The Thanksgiving Debacle
Will life ever return to normal? At this point in the Coronavirus pandemic, it looks like mask wearing and social distancing aren’t going anywhere. We aren’t able to gather in groups with our loved ones and virtual communication is the only way we can see a lot of our family members. It has been almost eight months since Coronavirus started, causing Americans all of these unforgettable problems. Many elderly and high risk citizens have been isolated for months, not able to spend time with their children and grandchildren. This has caused great amounts of sadness and stress for many people. Never would we have believed that a virus that hit in February, would now be threatening to shut down Thanksgiving. We should celebrate Thanksgiving with our families, not over a Zoom call, but in-person.
During this time of crisis, most people are forgetting about our mental health and only focusing on our physical health. Mental health is every bit as important as physical health. There are a lot of people who have been completely isolated for the past 8 months. They have had no in person communication with family, friends, or co-workers. This isolation can cause depression and we need to take it more seriously. Since Coronavirus started, there has been an increase in the number of people suffering from depression and in the number of suicides. Not being able to spend time with family, especially on Thanksgiving, could be a breaking point for many isolated people. Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays in regards to spending time with family. Keeping isolated people away from this great experience isn’t what’s best for them. Although they might be at risk for Coronavirus, they have an almost equal chance of becoming depressed.
Another problem with cancelling Thanksgiving is the randomness of Coronavirus. It seems like the number of cases is dropping or rising without any reason. No matter how much people social distance or wear masks, cases are rising. It is because of this that we should have Thanksgiving in person. There is a chance that if people are careful in how they celebrate, Coronavirus cases won’t increase from this one occasion. Although there is risk involved, Thanksgiving only happens once a year. All the memories and good times are well worth the risk of testing positive for a very confusing disease.
While some would say that it is not worth putting our family at risk of getting this disease, more people contract the virus and recover than contract the virus and die. Also, we put ourselves at risk of getting a disease such as cancer everyday we live. Do we try and hide ourselves away to protect ourselves from getting sick or getting a disease? We are constantly at risk of getting a life threatening illness no matter what we do, so why not enjoy our time on this earth and celebrate Thanksgiving. After all, who doesn’t have a great memory of spending time with their family and having a great Thanksgiving dinner.
The world and especially the United States has been going through a lot of adversity right now. Now more than ever, people need to get together with family to relax and just have a good time. This holiday means way too much to our country right now.
