As we prepare to finish 2020, we’re all left with more questions than answers. It’s clear that this year has been the craziest of all our lives. It’s been the bump in the road, the bend in the river, the crack in the world that we can’t seem to close. But, we’ve made it to the end. We may not have thought we were going to get here, we may not be here the way we expected but we’re still here.
I started off this year back from a long vacation, jet-lagged and blissfully unaware of COVID-19. I’m ending 2020 realizing it’s been a year since I’ve traveled, wondering how I survived for so long in the house. But, it’s those moments in between that count the most. It’s all of those moments sanitizing groceries and watching my glasses fog up with a mask on. It was staring at people’s icons in virtual school and talking to friends and family through Zoom that I remember the most.
Looking back, this year, I’ve learned so much. While it may not be a year I would love to remember, it was a wake up call. I thought that the pandemic would help to connect people, to make everyone realize that we are all in this together. It’s seemed to do only the opposite, highlighting the gaps between us, focusing on distance rather than direction.
Through this year, I’ve seen people doing everything they can to help others and then I’ve seen people racing down aisles in the grocery store to hoard all the toilet paper they can possibly get their hands on. 2020 has shown me both sides of humanity, the good we can do when we work together and the consequences of being split apart. It’s been one wild ride.
What stood out the most about this year was seeing all of the amazing things that have happened as a result of the pandemic. This year, it’s been so easy to focus on the negatives and we ignore the fact that there were positives to 2020.
The highlight of this year was not just going to school in pajamas but it was getting to spend time with my family. The best part, however, was starting my blog, writing poetry that I never thought I would have been able to create. It was getting published for the first time and developing a website that I’m proud of.
After everything this year, you’re standing at the end. If you’re able to walk away from this year feeling proud of yourself, remembering something you’ve accomplished, smiling at something good this year, then congratulations, 2020 has just made you a stronger person.
We are broken to be rebuilt. We suffer so we can rise stronger.
I believe that everything happens for a reason and now, I understand why 2020 happened and I’m glad it did. If we take everything we’ve learned from this year and use it in 2021, I have no doubt that we’ll be able to bounce right back. Because of this, I can say that I am heading into 2021 optimistic.
At the end of the year, I have so many people to thank. I’d like to thank every single person who has read, liked, shared, or subscribed to my blog. It has really helped inspire me to write more and get me through this crazy year. Also, a shout out to my mom, my unpaid editor and my dad, my unpaid web designer. You have really made some of the best moments in 2020 possible.
