This year’s Thanksgiving will be for just my husband Kevin and me. Rethinking the usual two-day cooking marathon and getting the house and table ready for the joy of gathering together at least 15 guests was a very tough process and it upset me greatly. The actual decision, however, became rather simple because of COVID-19. We are both in our late 70s, have dear friends that are like family as well as small families of our own, and (fingers crossed) we have not been ill, nor have any of our friends and family. We are all cautious and informed and would not in any way want to expose or be exposed to this awful plague. I also have pulmonary issues and do not believe I would survive a case of COVID.

This year we have devised a plan. I’ll roast a duck. It could have been a turkey breast, or a chicken, or kielbasa. I’ve ordered eight sides from the fabulous Hope and Olive. I’ll bake a pumpkin pie the day before, and we’ll then do things we haven’t done in maybe decades: watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, eat the afternoon feast, and settle down with Netflix later on.

Surprising myself, I’ve moved on from denial and anger to acceptance, and even further, to anticipation. I cannot remember the last time I wasn’t frantically cooking and decorating for this annual dinner, so this is a major departure from other years. Don’t get me wrong, I love hosting these dinners (I also do the same on Easter, for more people). On the other hand, I am very happy to know that we and our family and friends will be safe.

None of us wants to be exposed to the virus and it is absolutely impossible to be sure that no one is bringing it to the table. Even if we were to go the full route and ask everyone to be tested, I do not believe that would be good enough to ensure health. We’re already up to 250,000 deaths in this country alone. Some of those illnesses are surely caused by lack of concern for self and others, but some happened when precautions were uppermost in people’s minds.

It’s one thing to take a chance by passing a truck on a curvy back road or by jumping off the high board. It’s quite another to risk your life without even understanding that’s what you are doing.

So, in our case, we put aside our deep desire to share Thanksgiving Day with our friends and family, so that we could be sure to all live another day.

Ginger Carson is a resident of Greenfield.