perspective Generosity Happy (modified) Thanksgiving
learning, being and doing Accepting and adapting to a different kind of year
A W
young methe in holidays. a parking e’re man tryingapproached to figure out lot Iyesterday. bet you are too. First, we’ve been “My familyThanksgiving. and I are staying over considering Typically, there and if we could get five dollars we could we drive to Nebraska to feast with the cousins get atheir pizza. If we could getcards, ten we couldaget and families. We play maybe little two and that would cover us.” ultimate frisbee and chat, chat, chat. It’s an I had time no idea his story was affirm true. important for whether us all to catch up and He looked as though he was living rough, our familial, lifelong connections. though—gaunt, sunken cheeks, despairing But not in 2020! COVID-19 is surging eyes. in Without hesitation, I pulled out my wallet to Colorado and in Nebraska. So, we’re planning and handed ten Collins bucks. Iand don’t know just why I did it. He wasn’t hunker downhim in Fort have a small gathering…maybe of two threatening. He wasn’t over imploring. He just seemed really need or possibly four. And that’s our big question. Can we get to together safelya boost right then and interacting with him right there a couple of feet with my parents? Because as important as it is to celebrate the holidays away, I just felt it was a moment. together, it’s still not worth taking silly risks. We have been eating It’s not that on a mission to give away of our money. I walk outdoors with myI’m parents, and we feel pretty OKallabout that, but moving and drive by plenty of people who are asking for a little push. And I’m indoors for an afternoon-evening seems a little more exposed. not driven to help others by a sense of guilt or even a feeling of being We’ve talked about getting heaters and trying to do Thanksgiving lucky enough it and others don’tWe’ve and so therefore it’swe my outdoors or in to thehave garage withthese the door open. discussed how social obligation to do it. Nor do I get a big sense of satisfaction. I have can be hyper-vigilant the 10 days before Thanksgiving, so that we feel a hard timesafe pinpointing why feel compelled help also out sometimes, reasonably celebrating theIholiday together.toWe’ve considered whether scooping a sidewalk for a neighbor or stopping push a car, staying flexible with our plans in the hope that one of the to days during and other times not so much. the Thanksgiving long weekend will be forecast to be nice enough to sit Every a neighbor with his air compressor outside, andfall, we’ll just shoot of forours thatcomes day. Webystill haven’t landed on a plan and blows out our sprinkler lines. He makes the rounds inwe’ll our get that feels just right, but with our small group of four, I think corner of the neighborhood and gets everyone ready for winter. He something figured out. doesn’t ask for anything. He justsame doesdesires it because he can. Itabout is not a If you’re feeling some of the and anxieties getting transactional offer in any way. together over the holidays, definitely read Lynn Nichols feature story. Baer dive writes this month in herforLearn and Liveboth column LynnTheresa does a deep into how to gather the holidays, virtually about teaching children to be generous and to volunteer. She offers and in person. You might even want to cut out, post and followalso her tips some ideas about where and how. The idea is to help children to be for gathering safely. aware of other others’ needs and understand they, have The challenge thistoyear is how tothat shop. As themselves, a nation, we’ve been something to offer. shifting our holiday shopping online more and more each year, but many is for them, really all ofHow us, todonot dothough, generosity as an of usThe verygoal much want to shop locally. wejust do it, without activity that we have come to understand as something that we should exposing ourselves to crowded stores. Lea Hanson looks at two local do because we’re lucky enough to have something and worlds—browsing those other online marketplaces where you can get the best of both people are struggling. Where we’re really headed with this for our from home for local products. Check out her Healthy Livingisdepartment children to see people who are just like they are, who just want to be to learn more. happy just as they do and who don’t want to feel bad just as they don’t Thanksgiving is just a trial run for the entire holiday season—more want to. We want to get beyond the them and us feelings. We don’t just on that next month as we wrestle with it all, just as you are. dropBe money in a can and walk by. We stop. We talk and engage with safe, be well, people who are just like us. Scott In the end, we want to be generosity, not just do generosity, though the path to being generosity, it seems, lies through the path of doing generosity. ‘Tis the season, Scott
6 | RMPARENT 6 | RMPARENT
OCTOBER 2019 NOVEMBER 2020••Volume Volume24, 25,Issue Issue66 PUBLISHER PUBLISHER Scott Titterington, (970)221-9210 Scott Titterington, (970)221-9210 scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com EDITOR EDITOR Kristin Titterington, (970)221-9210 Kristin Titterington, (970)221-9210 kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR Emily Zaynard Emily Zaynard emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Greg Hoffman, (970)689-6832 Greg Hoffman, (970)689-6832 greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER DISTRIBUTION MANAGER ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Susan SusanHarting Hartig susan.rmpublishing@gmail.com COVER PHOTO Cheri istockphoto.com Schonfeld, Courtesy of Sky’s Open Design - skysopendesign.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
TheresaCONTRIBUTING Baer, Lea Hanson, Katie Harris, WRITERS Lynn NicholsKatie Harris, Theresa Baer, LeaU.Hanson, Lynn U. Nichols
ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING PO Box 740 PO BoxCO 740 Fort Collins, 80522 Collins,•CO VoiceFort 221-9210 Fax80522 221-8556 Voice 221-9210 • Fax 221-8556 editor@rockymountainpub.com editor@rockymountainpub.com www.RMParent.com www.RMParent.com
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