Beech Tree News Network

This Thanksgiving I am counting my blessings. Of course, I am thankful for the big blessings: a loving God who hears, my family and friends, our freedoms, and my health and home. I am also thankful for some other blessings, such as the technology for online shopping, for people who step up to help, and for the collective scientific knowledge around the world.

First, I am thankful for the technology that has provided online shopping, including the grocery pickup service. Though this is not new technology, I have used it more this year than ever before. Outside of what can be found in Morgantown, online shopping has become my go-to shopping method. This technology has saved me time and travel and has helped me to avoid social contact during the pandemic. This technology has been a great blessing.

Second, I am thankful for people who step up to help others. Recently, various people have volunteered to help a family member who needed a helping hand, and their kindness has had a ripple effect. Their help met a need, and their kindness washed over the individual as well as anyone who witnessed the need being met. Lee Brice’s song “Atta Boy” from the album Hey World recognizes people who step up to help others, saying:

“Atta boy, atta boy
We could use a few more like you
Atta boy, atta boy
Keep doin' boy just what you do”

Helping others isn’t outdated and doesn’t go unnoticed. It is a blessing.

Third, I am thankful for the world’s collective scientific knowledge that hopefully will bring an end to this pandemic. In a November 17th CNN article, “Coronavirus Vaccines: Your Questions Answered” (Coronavirus vaccines: Your questions answered – CNN), Katie Hunt reported:

The vaccine developed by Pfizer…and Moderna's are both more than 90% effective, according to the early data, a higher rate than many vaccines for other diseases….There are still lots of unknowns about how the new coronavirus vaccines would work in practice. It's not clear whether they would prevent infection altogether or make severe illness less likely. Doctors also do not know how long their protection will last.

The medical field has additionally identified certain medications which help with recovery from the coronavirus. In the future, these scientific findings may allow us to interact more freely and are, therefore, blessings.

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) said, “I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual” (https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/thanksgiving-quotes). I, too, am grateful for my blessings – large and small. And this Thanksgiving, I may be more aware of those blessings.