My 2020 Perspective of What *Didn't* Happen
On today, January 3, 2021, I heard a sermon, whereby the pastor mentioned that if there is anything that 2020 taught us was that we do not have 2020 vision. Who saw any of the headwinds coming our way? I did not hear from the people that are clairvoyant to provide any warnings regarding 2020. There are so many things that happened in 2020 that it almost makes you wonder whether there was anything good that happened. I like to look from the perspective of the glass being half-full. I am thankful that I did not lose a family member to COVID-19. My family members who had COVID recovered. Thank God! Being socially distant became socially awkward, especially during Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have not hugged a family member in almost a year. That has been exceedingly difficult to embrace. Living alone, I have not been able to go out to a restaurant and enjoy family like before.
However, as I look back on 2020, there are some good news to share. The United States did not have a civil war, even with all the racial unrest. All the major holidays went on as planned, without full cancellations. The sky did not fall, as known to have been told by Chicken Little. Most of the animals and wildlife avoided extinction, due to the Coronavirus. The food supply seemed to have weathered the initial storm of lack. Not everyone lost a job. Teachers and medical professionals were less likely to submit an unemployment claim. A lot of businesses began to thrive, irrespective of the challenges related to the pandemic. People and businesses did not lose their creativity. TikTok and Zoom became household names. They didn’t lose their social appeal to the young or old. Graduation ceremonies weren’t cancelled, as many were “zoomed” with celebrities. Cooking and learning new recipes with other neighbors became a trend. The kitchen didn’t become an antique item. Restaurants even decided to package some of their best-selling items as a full meal for pick-up or delivery. Homeless or low-income members of society didn’t get left out of the annual Thanksgiving Dinner. Some cities were able to provide meals for pickup. We didn’t stop celebrating birthdays. Society became more creative with drive-by birthday celebrations. With lots of employees working from home, air pollution kept itself at bay.
2020 flipped the script with things having to be a certain way. We learned that there is something positive with exploring diversity and creativity, even when we are forced to do so. A lot of things did happen in 2020 that are truly unforgettable; however, there are a lot of things that didn’t happen that outweigh the doom-and-gloom effect. While none of us had 2020 vision, by now, we should all have 20/20 hindsight. I can look at nature to see the benefits of forgetting the term "socially distant." What is important to remember is that it may have happened in our heads, but it didn't happen in our hearts.
