A Thanksgiving Message

I am writing to you today about my favorite holiday. The memories of Thanksgiving that I have from my childhood still make me smile wistfully. Every November we would pack up the car and drive to my grandparents’ house two hours away in that special part of Kentucky where the mountains kiss the blue grass and where my parents grew up. My grandmother (mom’s side) would cook a fantastic meal, and then second Thanksgiving would happen at my aunt’s house (dad’s side). Football games (college, of course) on a sometimes fuzzy TV, hunting rabbits at my uncle’s farm, being silly with all my cousins—these are my memories from those days. It’s part of why I love Thanksgiving today—I try to recreate some of that by cooking the treasured dishes from my childhood and spending time with my family here. We love it as much or more than practically any other holiday. As we approach this holiday break, I want you to hear that I understand just how much this holiday means to all of us. I’ll be cooking for my family again (2 other couples and my grandson). We’ll be eating together and spending quality time telling stories, maybe swimming, playing some games, watching some football—all outside. It’s one of the blessings of this place to be able to do that easily. I know that you will be having your own family traditions. I am writing to encourage you to take some extra time this year to consider how to do that in the safest way possible. Whether you are planning to travel or to host a dinner at your house, what are some common sense measures you can put into place to keep everyone safe and COVID free?

 

By now, you’ve all heard about the numerous school closures around the state and the country. Every day, we get a little closer to being on the other side of this, but we’re not quite there yet. You know that the numbers are going up everywhere, including here in Acadiana. I feel like a broken record (you may have to explain that phrase to your children), but I just want to encourage everyone to be as safe as possible. Wear a mask. Socially distance. Wash your hands frequently. And, most importantly right now, avoid crowds and choose outdoor activities whenever you can. When we return from Thanksgiving break, we will have three weeks until our Christmas break, and if we all look out for each other, we can stay in school for the whole year, and be the example of how to manage this the right way. God bless you all, and have a beautiful Thanksgiving break. Areté!