2020 – The Year Life Came Into Focus
We’ve heard 2020 described in many ways: a dumpster fire, the worst year ever, the year from hell, and death to 2020.
2020 was an undeniably difficult, scary, sad and challenging year. I lost friends to COVID, my daughter missed friends and school, and the isolation has been…well…isolating
But it was also a year where life came into focus. Our distorted perspective of what matters, quickly turned to 20/20 vision. We learned what really matters in life (health, financial security, people) and what actually doesn’t.
When you can’t travel, can’t go out to eat, can’t visit family, can’t go to school and can’t hug the people you love, you are left with a keen understanding of what matters. We eliminated a lot of what doesn’t matter in 2020, but we also lost things that we loved.
Over the summer, I was walking my dog when my four year old neighbor came outside with her Bernese Mountain dog. Needless to say, the four year old was no match for the dog, who quickly got away from her. I grabbed the dogs leash and handed it back to her…touching her hand. I knew that I shouldn’t be touching anyone’s hand, but it’s human nature to help a little girl and her dog.
These are the small things that felt challenging this year…not being able to hug my friends husband who I met for the first time and not being able to visit my mom for almost a year. The loss of human connection has been painfully hard.
These are the things that came into focus for me in 2020:
- We are all capable of adapting to extreme challenges.
- Virtual school is a great learning option (although with some challenges).
- We need food, water, shelter, sleep, safety, and relationships. The rest is icing.
- Sometimes the best way to show someone you love them is to stay far away…and that hurts.
- Kids adapt to change better than adults.
- Even when you think you can’t take any more challenges..you can. You adjust.
- Life isn’t as happy when we don’t have close contact with other humans.
- Commuting to an office every day, isn’t necessary for certain types of work to get done.
- Seeing my daughter’s face all day every day, is the brightest spot in the darkest year.
My daughter is eleven. She is crossing the bridge from childhood to adulthood. In seven short years, she will be heading out into the world.
2020 gave me 1,600 hours with her that I wouldn’t have had. I got to see her beautiful face at the beginning, middle, and end of my day. She was my morning coffee, my afternoon lunch, and my loyal co-worker. She would tell me stories in the middle of the day and make me smile during conference calls.
I lost a lot in 2020 and at times, I didn’t think I could handle much more. But I got 1,600 extra hours with my favorite little human.
And for that…I thank 2020.
Yes, 2020 gave us all challenges. Financial challenges, education challenges, mental health challenges, heartbreak, and loss. But there were also quite a few flowers that grew amongst the weeds.
My wish for you is that 2020 be the year that put life into focus for you. That the challenges also brought you a new perspective. That you appreciate the little things more (because they are truly the big things) and that you stress less about the things that don’t really matter.
When you cut away the fat, you are left with the meat, but you also lose some of the flavor.
I hope that we can enter 2021 with a feeling of gratitude that we made it this far. And I hope that we end it with a bit more normalcy.
2020 is tough. You are tougher.
Happy New Year.
Photo by Bud Helisson on Unsplash
