feliceThis Thanksgiving is extra special in our country. Whether we are with family, friends, a sweet partner — any celebration large or small, this Thanksgiving feels better than last and definitely than the one before. There is a freedom and ease this year that we have not seen in way too long. Sharing meals, cooking and eating together, walking together and playing touch football or working on puzzles in shared spaces — this is the magic of Thanksgiving 2022. This is not to say there is not much suffering in our country both in terms of hunger and financial insecurity as well as the losses so many have lived through this past year.
But still, I feel hopeful for our country and our family in a way I have not felt in awhile. I had decided when this pandemic eased up, I would step away from my beloved Netflix obsessions and excessive screen time and look up and out. I wanted to travel and take in the outside world specifically, art, theater and city life. So, this past month, I did just that and have shared a bit with you already. (See past few posts on Paris)
Traveling has come with an unexpected ease that I haven’t felt is so long. My travels over the past month have taken me from Paris to New York City, to Boston and Washington, D.C.
The exhibits I have seen in all these cities have filled my brain and my soul. What is markably different from prior years, is how full of awe and gratitude I am to be out. For instance. last week I went to Washington, DC where I hadn’t been in over 20 years.
The first night we arrived we walked up to the Lincoln Memorial. The night was bright and full of stars. The Washington Monument was aglow and as we looked down the Mall toward the Capitol building my husband and I hugged. There was so much to be grateful for. We were exactly 6 days past the midterms and our democracy was intact. It felt right to pay a visit to Abe.
My husband is from Springfield and Lincoln has a special home in his heart. The grand seated Lincoln was grounding and so was this vantage he was looking out on. I have not wanted to go to Washington for a long time and without being too political, I was grateful to feel the calm in the city that I had not anticipated. We exhaled and hugged and talked about this crazy year.
I am so grateful for all the people who have worked so hard to make our country feel safer and for the freedom that I do not take for granted to walk freely in the Nation’s Capitol.
This Thanksgiving as we sit down for our meal — may we all feel more secure and hopeful. May we all bring our best selves into our daily lives in a celebration of freedom and respect and kindness.
Happy Thanksgiving to all you wonderful BA50s.
And, If you are thinking of going to Washington D.C. Here are a few of the magical places I visited in Washington,
A new museum Planet Word is fantastic for adults and our grand kids with a celebration of the printed word and honoring creativity. “The museum was founded by Anna Friedman who had just retired from teaching first grade reading when the idea of Planet Word struck her. The museum Planet Word is an immersive language experience located at the historic Franklin School in Washington, D.C. Ideal for all ages, Planet Word is a voice-activated museum (the world’s first!), and our interactive galleries and exhibits bring words and language to life in all sorts of fun ways.”
I also visited the Holocaust Museum. As painful as it is to walk through the tragedy – it’s more important that ever given how many hate crimes there are in the world.
We also visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture and want to go back to immerse ourselves. It’s spectacular. We only got to see a few floors and it’s so easy to spend the day there.