|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
I am glad 2020 is over! I have learned so much. I took so much for granted. I have learned to respect other people’s fear.
Growing up outside of the United States as a child, I had contracted all sorts of diseases (malaria, dengue fever, parasitic worms, etc.) so another new disease did not make me nervous. I’d lived through AIDS (as a single woman) SARS and Ebola. In fact, when my siblings reminisce about countries we lived in, we tie them to the disease we had (i.e. The Philippines was mumps, Libya was the scorpion poison fever, Singapore was measles, etc.).
Now, enter COVID-19 and I see dear, dear friends who were scared to death and admitted it. They had underlying issues and to them COVID-19 meant a good chance of death. Wow! Prior, to me death happened through an accident, heart attack, stroke or cancer. I had to open up my mind to the fact that not everyone, no matter how great they looked, felt the same way. Was I the first person to embrace mask wearing — no. However, I now respect that fear and do my best to honor it.
I’ve also learned to embrace life. I finished the first draft of my book (it turns out that’s the easy part of writing a book); I’ve embraced Zoom calls, for pleasure and business, and learned how to participate in court hearings wearing leggings with a professional jacket.
I’ve traveled, attended two weddings with socially distant rules (no more than 30 people, six feet apart), one of which I officiated. Because my clientele is elderly I’ve been testing regularly (which was expensive but will soon be over the counter) and much prefer the mouth swab to the nose insertion.
I’m delighted that Americans have adopted homeless pets in droves and that we’ve adapted to “drive-by” rallies and “drive-in” movies. I do despair for all the small businesses such as restaurants, event marketing, crowd venues, and the people they employed. At the same time, I celebrate those who became successful entrepreneurs by adapting to what they could do within the COVID climate. That is empowering.
I am in AWE of our frontline medical teams and essential workers (including trash collectors) who came in every day despite the greater risk to them. Follow that by the scientists, doctors and public health officials who, within 10 months, developed two vaccines to prevent COVID-19. I’m also proud that the United States led the way.
I think we have so much to be thankful for. Yes, it’s been scary, inconvenient and, for some, a sad time in their lives. But, it’s also taught us more resiliency and appreciation for what we have. I am looking forward to 2021, the vaccine and a slow return to normalcy.
Aren’t we all?
