What 2020 Could Teach You
A little over a year ago, the U.S. learned of a resident in Washington State who had recently returned from China and was officially infected with what the world now calls Covid-19 or SARS-CoV-2. We watched the news casually, like any other Tuesday evening, and momentarily thought of the individual, who “picked up something” overseas, with a little pity and mentally wished them a quick recovery. Then we finished dinner.
Like when, as a small child, maybe you stuck something metal in an outlet and got jolted. Not sure what happened, you were a little stunned. Possibly your mom or dad threw a snarky remark your direction that they bet you wouldn’t do that again, (at least, that’s what my mom said) in the hopes that you’d learned a lesson.
I think everyone should pause. What have YOU learned?
A Year of Years
We have been beaten repeatedly by Covid, both domestically and abroad, the US political scene, and the deaths and economic destruction we have all witnessed in dazed disbelief.
As of this writing, over 2.4 million people have died globally of what we once thought was a piteous little overseas illness. Something that wouldn’t affect us. Some contend that that number is too low. Whatever the true statistics are, they are bigger than our minds can comprehend.
In. One. Year.
So much has changed, individually and collectively, it’s hard to know what to do as we are truly seeing light at the end of this tunnel. It’s not a false hope this time. With the advent of several versions of a vaccine, we know that the light is not a train now. We laugh/cry tears of relief that those of us who remain…have survived.
This is where the disaster movies usually end: a few dirty and roughed-up people pick their way through the rubble, limping, arm-in arm, smiling in the sunshine, and move away from the camera with the credits scrolling up their backs. A happy ending, right? That’s why it’s the movies. They can end them on a happy note and leave out the laborious rebuilding process for the characters. We all leave the theater sniffling and maybe a little thankful that we haven’t had to suffer something like that.
But we did. Of course… this past year wasn’t a movie.
What Are Your Takeaways?
No, not the media driven political narratives of Republican versus Democrat, or Biden versus Trump. Yours…in your life.
In order to actually make progress, either personally or as a group, we have to stop and take account, and learn or we will find ourselves faced with this type of trial again.
· Did you have friends or family die from Covid?
· Did you lose relationships over politics?
· Did you lose your job or employment?
· Do you know now that your diet needs to be adjusted or overhauled?
· Have you realized you have too much “stuff”?
· Have you done some personal introspection?
· Are your values different or more defined?
· Do you understand politics better? Do you want to?
· Do you recognize (reluctantly or privately) that at least some of the changes that have happened are actually for the better?
I think it’s generally agreed that 2020 was “traumatic” in many ways. For some, unbearably so. Survivors of trauma have an unspoken rule that gets them through the toughest situations:
Put one foot in front of the other.
They inherently understand that if they are still breathing, it’s time to get up and get going. A way needs to be found to move on. Wallowing in what’s lost is a waste of time. As we begin to relax a little, it’s time to take inventory. Some of us don’t want to go back to the way it was before the pandemic.
For me, personally, I had my own small business for 12 years. I didn’t make the millions that I was hoping for or even bank any sizeable amount. I was able to support myself, but that’s it. The mental toll that took, not to mention the dozen years I lost with the effort, was a hard experience.
When we were forced to lock down, I cried for a month. Tears of sadness and loss, but also relief. So many insights have shown themselves to me over the past year. Some, I kind of knew already, but didn’t want to admit…like I had come to hate running my business. I had allowed myself to be swept into the game of capitalism. Because I didn’t want to “start over” after 12 years (and at my age), I stayed against my better judgement. When reopening became a non-sequitur, I threw in the towel.
Gleefully, if I’m honest.
Returning to “normal” is no longer an option for many. Not even if they could. While painful, the vicissitudes have borne a new future. Survivors know to roll with it. They remember what has worked in the past and, clearly, what did not. It is a blanket of comfort that they can rely upon to help them through.
As a country, we have figuratively “turned on a dime”. The ones who are resisting the phoenix fire will come around eventually. Or not. Change is hard, but not fundamentally “bad”. But it IS the only constant. Don’t let the rough seas of 2020 make you miss the opportunities that are before you.
If you’re still here, you’re not done yet.
