Thanksgiving 2020: In which we discuss the many reasons we have to be thankful, including but not limited to Dolly Parton!
As we approach Thanksgiving this year, I know it will be different for many of us. There will be empty chairs at the Thanksgiving table, whether because of friends and loved ones we have lost this past year or because the pandemic has caused so many of us to curtail our traditional holiday gatherings. Still, there are reasons to be thankful and this year it may be more important than ever to count our blessings!
When I polled my Hanna & Plaut co-workers to see what they are thankful for, I was not surprised to hear that family, friends, and pets topped the list! Our dogs, including but not limited to Sadie, Harrison, Nova, Bella, and at least one cat, Sparkles, give us reason to celebrate. But I think that Tara may have found the one thing we can all be grateful for – the universal force of love and kindness that is Dolly Parton. As Tara notes, Dolly’s $1 million contribution helped fund the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Did you know she also gives away books? Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until they begin school, no matter their family’s income. To date, she’s given away over 147, 137, 107 books!
Here are some of the other messages of thanks from your friends at Hanna & Plaut:
- I am very thankful for my health, as well as the Hamilton soundtrack, UberEats, and brownies and ice cream.
Ana Navarrete - There are a million things I am thankful for today, but here is a short list: my dear friends and family, including my two little nieces; my cat, Sparkles; copious amounts of coffee; journaling and books; the Greenbelt, where I am often found hiking; Christmas-scented candles; discovering and binging new-to-me music albums; the beautiful autumn weather in Texas; the hard-working folks on the front lines, whether that be in the hospitals, grocery stores, or elsewhere; and of course, my health. Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Elina Lupin - Very thankful for the continued health and safety of loved ones, for the resilience of children, and our supportive community. Also, special thanks to Youtube’s Cocomelon and Disney+’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for giving this mama the perfect 30-minute coffee break from toddler chaos.
Sheila Tan - My essential worker husband, who will be working this Thanksgiving day a 4-11 shift. ….thanks again 2020! (Ed. note – We are all thankful for John and all the other healthcare workers out there!)
Teachers who are giving it their all – either in-person or zooming. (Ed. note – Same! Go teachers!)
My flexible work life – thanks to Catherine and David – which gives me the ability to stay home and help my kids with the nuttiness of online school and countless runs for Covid tests.
The mild Texas weather this fall/winter.
And the amazing scientists behind the vaccines (…special shout out to Dolly Parton, whose I million dollar donation in April helped fund the Moderna vaccine!) - Tara Mireur
- Would it be too obvious if I simply answered with pics of my dogs?
- Lauren Burgess
- This year I am so grateful for my loved ones and that they have stayed healthy, my pup (always lol) and that I am back at Hanna & Plaut. Learned the hard way that it is wayyyy better here than anywhere else! (Ed. note – We are also very grateful that Jill came back!)
Jill Coon - Thankful for the unexpected silver linings in this tempestuous year. Also thankful to kick 2020 to the curb.
Eric Peabody - I am so very thankful for good people showing their faces in this world. I know I can be naïve at times, however it’s just always important for me to keep belief in the majority of the human race being good. I am also thankful for my health, my job, my family & friends, my loving partner and my fur baby Harrison.
Raymond Jackson - Thankful I’m surrounded by smart, scrappy lawyers and a partner who’s managed to keep folks happy and productive despite all the challenges.
David L. Plaut
As for me, I share David’s gratitude for the great team we have here at Hanna & Plaut and, of course, the clients who we get to work with every day. But one of my top work-related reasons for gratitude is how seamlessly we pivoted to working from home! I am certain that our administrative team, led by office manager extraordinaire Rebekah Murphy, would say that it was not as easy as it looked, but it sure felt like we didn’t miss a beat and I really appreciate that more than I can say.
I am also thankful for books, a mother who taught me that reading can be the best entertainment, and curbside pickup at the Austin Public Library. In a year where many of the things I love the most – travel, going to the movies, and eating out at restaurants – are curtailed, books have been a constant source of comfort and distraction. I won’t miss 2020 when it finally limps to its bitter end in a few weeks, but I certainly recognize there is much to be thankful for, including perspective! ! In the words of the inimitable Dolly, “if you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.”