Thanksgiving plans were quite different this year. We’re going through this crazy pandemic. Many of us weren’t able to see family or friends. The new COVID-19 restrictions recommended only spending time with those closest to you to keep other people from getting infected. For me, most of my family is no longer around and other family members live in different states. So, this year, it was just going to be my sister and I. Little did I know that this year would turn into something else entirely.
For Thanksgiving dinner, my sister planned to make El Salvadorian food for the first time. I was proud of her. Salvadoran Pupusas are very hard thing to make. It’s not an easy task but they’re definitely delicious.
Like a lot of people, we had chances to text and FaceTime with people that we couldn’t be with for the holiday. I was fortunate enough to have a coincidence happen to me. A close friend of mine called me and said they’d love to come over and hang out because their family gathering was done and they wanted to spend time with me. I thought that was especially cool to the fact that we have a select group of us that we can spend time with. Can’t take any chance with COVID-19.
Once my friend came over, my sister showed up with all the awesome food and our “friends giving” kicked off. We say “friends giving” because Thanksgiving is not really a thing in our family. As soon as we got the festivities kicked off, a couple more friends called, said they were in the city and asked if they could come over. These friends are also in the same circles that fall under the safety requirements to attend.
It was a day of simple wishes, great food and good atmosphere. It was a humbling experience, considering our ongoing situation. After we ate, we chilled out, watch a movie and then everybody went on their way. Good times!
About Jesse Cuellar: Jesse is an artist and a brand ambassador for Quantum Rehab®. An accident left him paralyzed from the neck down, so he uses his mouth to paint and expresses himself through his art. Jesse lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and enjoys painting and hanging out with his friends. Click here to learn more about Jesse.