Giving Thanks, for Nothing    

GETTING INTO THE spirit of thanksgiving has become a lot harder these last two years. Between an Energizer Bunny of a virus fueling a pandemic that just won’t quit, and the economic devastation left in its wake, the ranks of cynics among us have swollen. “Thanksgiving? Yeah. Thanks for nothing.”

But hold on there, Gloomy Doomers. You might be onto something. What’s so bad about nothing? The absence of a lot of things can be a blessing. Negative—as in test results—is a hell of a lot more positive than positive in this context. A clean driving record with nothing on it beats one that’s littered with speeding tickets. Do you want your dentist to find a mouthful of cavities, or nothing but gleaming enamel? Credit card balance… large? …or, next to nothing? Tough job at work, or nothing to it? We could go on… and when you consider how severe the problems and worries that we’ve accumulated lately have been, any reduction or near elimination of them is certainly worthy of gratitude.

Granted, there is still plenty to be concerned about and to worry us. Covid will continue to lurk around every corner in one or another of its variant forms (Delta may be peaking, but what about Gamma? Epsilon? … Double Omega?). This winter could see another rise in hospitalizations and deaths, if any predictability can be drawn from our experience with traditional flu seasons and what we’ve learned from this new disease. Then, there’s been the pandemic’s harsh impact on our economy, and its long term effects which are only now becoming clear. Boat dealerships still have near-empty lots, and shelves at Academy and other sporting goods stores still look like the last hour of Black Friday. But on both the health and economic fronts, there is light at the end of this long, dark and twisty tunnel.

If we can separate the political idiocy from reality, it’s clear that what keeps people safer is personal and medical responsibility. If you follow common sense protective measures, your odds of getting sick plummet. If you haven’t been vaccinated, stay away from indoor crowds or wear the damn mask. Experience is showing that these simple steps work. If more of us follow them, and as more people get vaccinated and gains increase on the treatment side, time will become an ally and this so-called “novel” disease will join the ranks of other diseases we’ve learned to live with. By next spring, there is an excellent chance that we will have gained the upper hand and that new cases, hospitalizations and deaths from Covid will be reduced to close to nothing.

Meanwhile, our industry sources have been telling us—with guarded confidence—that many of the supply chain disruptions responsible for scarcities in big ticket items and basic gear that we use for fishing and hunting­ (and lots of other things we need in everyday life) may also begin to improve next spring. We’re already seeing relief from ammo shortages. By April or May, manufacturing and shipping in general could start returning to normal. So, you may finally be able to take delivery on that new bay boat you decided to purchase months ago. And this return to normalcy should also mean a sturdier economy… which will help when the payments on your new boat come due.     

As we deal with whatever form the viral culprit assumes this winter, and with the lingering challenges it has put on our livelihoods and our lifestyles, we need to stay positive and hopeful. Knowing that we have a good chance of getting things back to normal next year should help.

We’ve said this before in previous columns on the subject, but there have been plenty of positive things gained during this two-year period of loss. Having nothing else to do, more of us have renewed our interest in the simpler virtues of life, especially those that involve the outdoors. With nothing else competing for our time, we’ve spent more of it with our families and friends… a lot of it on outdoors adventures which, thankfully, have offered the perfect escape from the dangers posed by a virus that thrives indoors.                 

If the signs of recovery next year include having next to nothing to fear from Covid, if nothing is keeping you from enjoying your new boat or ATV, if nothing separates you from your friends, family and sporting buddies, then hell yeah, let’s find more reasons to give thanks for nothing.

In that spirit, Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas from all of us at TEXAS FISH & GAME. 

 

E-mail Roy at rneves@fishgame.com and Ardia at aneves@fishgame.com

 

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