By Darrell Smith

Growing up in southwestern Virginia our family ran a regional food distribution business. Like any family business, as soon as the you’re old enough, you helped out. I remember helping to load the trucks before the sun came up and then sitting in the cab with my dad as we made deliveries. While I certainly didn’t like having to get up so early and the hard work, I learned to enjoy the time we shared in the cab of the truck, sharing stories and getting my dad’s insight on each customer we saw.

Today, our son is working from our home. He works for a multi-national company and has an important job. Normally he would have been working at an office in Washington, D.C., but because of COVID-19 he works remotely and decided to return here to Martinsville.

This is a development my wife and I didn’t expect, but we are so glad to have the extra time with our son, sharing daily conversation about our work, golf and friends. It is one of the unexpected pleasures of COVID-19.

While COVID-19 has certainly had plenty of negative impact on business and social activities, there is the ‘silver lining’ in the darkness of this disease that compels families to stay close and work together. Home schooling, once an activity for a few families, is now the norm for many. Families are working together, sharing insights and learning to cope with the challenge presented by the pandemic.

This year instead of large extended family and friend gatherings, the Thanksgiving holiday may only be shared by the immediate family in many sections of the United States, Canada, Brazil and even Japan. The dates vary, but the theme is similar, to give ‘thanks’ for the bountiful harvest that has blessed our lands and, for our families, whether together in person or only by Zoom or phone.

As we all head into various holidays and feel the impact of COVID-19 on lives, which has been devastating for some families, keep in mind any of the positive developments that have come out of this terrible virus and share them with your friends and family in photos, telephone calls, video conferencing and, if you can, in person with your closest contacts. This Thanksgiving may in time, become one of the most memorable ever.