What would your answer be if a stranger asked you, “What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?”
Or maybe you will have to answer that question at the dinner table Thursday.
Some years the answer could include being grateful for a trip to visit with friends or relatives, reuniting with high school friends from those just home from college, or having time to relax and enjoy the traditions of the holiday.
A Turkey Trot? Not this year. Touch football? No. deciding how to seat 20 dinner guests? No, again.
The coronavirus COVID-19 has changed Thanksgiving celebrations as well as many other parts of our lives.
But we can still be thankful.
The Roeser family, John, Marla, and daughters Hannah, 8, and Izzy, 10 were eating outside Five Guys in Potomac Nov. 14.
Hannah and Izzy must have been hungry as they both said they were thankful for food. Izzy added shelter to her answer.
John said he was thankful for his health and Marla said, “Oh there is so much. For my family and good health and the love of my family.”
Family and good health were top of the list of most answers. So were friends.
Four friends who all went to grade school and high school together met outside Starbucks in Potomac to catch up with each other.
“I’m thankful for these girls,” Grisel Castro said, pointing to the circle of friends.
Charine Kahn said she is a healthcare worker and is thankful for her health.
“I’m thankful I can do my work and stay healthy,” she said.
Sofia Martinez, too, mentioned health.
“I’m definitely thankful for my health, especially at this time,” she said. “And for my friends who keep me sane.”
Sahara Mokhtari echoed the sentiments of her friends.
“I’m definitely thankful for my family and friends,” she said.
Outside of the Safeway store, James Turner was ringing a bell for the Salvation Army.
“I’m thankful for being in the land of the land of the living,” he said. “Every day I see all the blessings I’ve been given.”
At Cabin John Shopping Center, Jenifer Luce was waiting for a Playa Bowls smoothie with Jenny Hilligoss, 10, the daughter of a friend.
“I’m thankful that we’re all healthy and I’m thankful that I still have a job and I can work from home,” she said.
Then she added, “I’m thankful Biden was elected.”
Jenny said she was thankful for her mom and her dad.
Outside Terri Zajdel said she was thankful to be alive.
Her granddaughter, Cecilia Weinstein, 8, said she was thankful for friends and family and life and everybody.
Alfred Bleicher and Lindsay Northrup sipped coffee while sitting on opposite ends of an outside bench.
“Social distancing,” Bleicher said, adding that he was thankful for his health.
Northrop said she was thankful for time with her family.
“Increasingly they are the only people I see,” she said.
Grace Kavaho admitted to feeling depressed but added she has a lot to be grateful for.
“I’m thankful for my family. My family has been really nice to me during this time,” she said. “I’m really thankful for my friends. I’ve been depressed and they have been sending me notes and cookies. I’m thankful for Joe Biden being president.”
So, no matter what your age or where you are in life, there is always something to be thankful for.