Cancellations. Quarantine. Millions infected and dead from an invisible virus. Frustrations at an all time high. Political divisiveness. Natural disasters. Combine all that together in a stew full of people already overwhelmed and overstimulated, and you get the disaster we’ve experienced for the past 11 months.
But I don’t want to spend the entire post talking about all of the negative aspects of the year. We’ve all heard enough of that. Instead, I’d like to focus on the good that’s happened.
Closures, quarantines, and stay at home orders have caused us to look closer and take notice of who we are and the people around us. What do you believe and stand for? What have you closed your eyes to before that you now see?
It’s also forced us to improvise, learn new ways to work and adapt virtually, both in school and the workplace.
As a result, we’ve come to realize the importance of human interaction, social groups, and maybe that we don’t need to spend as much time with our face in our phones.
People who don’t get the recognition they deserve have earned a higher level of respect. Teachers, first responders, doctors and nurses are the unsung heroes that don’t get enough credit for what they do.
We’ve proven that if the right resources are put in the right places, we CAN develop solutions quickly. Case in point: We have a vaccine in record time.
People have come together to provide food, masks, supplies etc to those in need. Companies have halted normal production to help make the necessary PPE and equipment needed on the frontlines. When we come together and work together, we’re stronger as a whole.
I’m fortunate because my family has stayed healthy so far, and we’ve been blessed with jobs that allow us to work virtually from home. My sister and I were able to celebrate Mom's birthday by taking her on a girls trip early in the year before COVID took hold. We were also able to show our horses at a handful of open shows, which helped us keep our sanity and a small sense of normalcy.
Did I want to pull my hair out at times and give up? Absolutely. (And I’m an introvert, so staying home and to myself isn’t usually an problem!) Some days are worse than others. But I have to believe it WILL get better. We were never promised an easy trip around the sun in this life. Nor did I ever expect to see a worldwide pandemic in my lifetime. But here we are.
Going into 2021, I want to focus on the positives. Why let the chaos of 2020 win out? Let’s accomplish more in 2021. See a change that needs to be made? Make it happen. Fill a void. Make a difference. And above all else BE KIND.
I'll leave you with some thoughts from one of my favorite authors, Bob Goff. "People who gather love throughout their lives become kinder, more gracious, more hospitable...the more love they gather, the more their loads lighten. The people we become are cultivated by small choices we make along the way. Plant forgiveness and grace like you'll never run out of seeds, and you'll never run out of love." (Bob Goff, Live in Grace, Walk in Love)