GREENSBORO, N.C. — It's time for 'My 2 Cents.'
The holidays are among us and it goes without saying that they'll be different during the pandemic.
Already, health experts and state leaders are encouraging safe celebrations, asking families to keep gatherings to a minimum and practice all of the things we know keep the virus at bay - wearing masks, washing hands, keeping a distance. Some are even suggesting that the holidays go virtual this year saying it's not a great idea to travel and be around all of your friends and family members.
And let's just go ahead and put it out there - that stinks. Nobody wants to miss out on this special time of the year. But that's where we are at.
Now, I'm not telling what I think you should or shouldn't do. I’ll leave those suggestions to the experts and the decisions to you. But I do want to talk about how you can handle those choices.
There will be people who aren't comfortable being around extended family or groups of people this holiday season, and you need to respect that - whether you agree with them or not. If cousin Jenny isn't ready to gather around the table with everyone, and Uncle Jim doesn't want to fly quite yet... give them some grace. Know that they already had to make the tough decision to miss out on spending time with the people they love and don't make it harder by giving them grief. Avoid forcing your beliefs on them and understand everyone is at a different point and in a different mindset than you.
It's not ideal. Nobody asked for this. The last thing we need is family frustration over holiday plans.