It is Thanksgiving and we should do that—give thanks. It has been nine months and now we all have a good idea of what the term “global pandemic” means. It came to our notice when it devastated parts of Europe in the spring, but this is America and we have somehow been so golden in these decades since the end of WWII. Now we are in our holiday season and Covid 19 is front and center. I think we should remember what each holiday symbolizes. Let’s take a pause and evaluate where we are.

A Couple Of Things I Know For Sure, And I Give Thanks

I have learned some things in the last nine months. I learned I am not smart enough to second-guess a global pandemic. There have been so many things I did not see coming. (I am told that is a big club.) But here we are at Thanksgiving, and I usually do take some time to think about what I have to be grateful for. I am so grateful my family is healthy and that we live close together. I enjoy my work and my business is a major cog for other businesses’ success. My home region is amazingly self-sufficient, and it seems that most here have what they need. For those who don’t, our community is happy to step up and provide support in times of crisis. I think we have all learned that kids being in school is a very big deal, and we have a new appreciation for teachers and learning institutions. Hard times are stern taskmasters. They leave little room for looking away.

My Acceptance Of Truth From Marcus Aurelius (Roman Emperor, 161-180 A.D.)

All you need are these: certainty of judgment in the present moment; action for the common good in the present moment; and an attitude of gratitude in the present moment for anything that comes your way. Marcus Aurelius

This is a simple concept, but in hard times, it seems especially difficult to be true to it. We have kids. We have mortgages or rent to pay. We need to work, and we need to be social. While I can’t know what tomorrow will bring, I can plan to keep what I do have going in the best shape possible. We may be weary, hurt, apprehensive—but on Thanksgiving Day, we can give thanks in that present moment for what we have and what may come our way. I believe on that day and on the day after, we will all feel better. And we will all do better.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Aptica. May your time in these next few days be filled with warmth, and love, and hope.

Jason Newburg, 260.243.5100, ext 2101, is the founder and owner of Aptica LLC. This IT management and support company has been serving small to medium-sized businesses for 19 years in the region that includes Angola, South Bend, and Fort Wayne, IN, Battle Creek, MI, and Toledo OH.