A Brief Reflection on 2020
While 2020 was, in many ways, disastrous and difficult, we were one of the luckier ones in the sense that we avoided any major tragedy. I know many have lost their lives or their loved ones, or lost a job and income, many have lost their businesses, the sole source of their family income and so on. We cannot compare to those and my reflection is purely based on our situation only.
While we were confined in many ways, and could not see our families or travel to them, we haven't lost our jobs and we haven't gotten sick. We might have lost some luxuries and freedom to do whatever we want, but in the big picture, that was nothing.
In my view 2020 actually brought many blessings.
Of
course, I miss a lot of things, mostly being able to travel and see our
families, and I do not like to constant worry and anxiety. However, I love that
life slowed down a bit. I am able to have breakfast with my kids every morning
and get the morning cuddles and smiling faces which I missed every morning I
left to my early train to head into the city.
As I am working on our yearly family photo album, I have come to realize that the 2020 book will be thicker than any other year since I started this tradition. We have done so much as a family, so much with the kids that we would have never experienced has it not been for the pandemic.
SO
what I wish for 2021 and for the future is to hold onto to the blessings and
lessons that 2020 brought to our lives, maintain the new priorities, while of
course reach a less worrisome environment. This seems way easier said than done
of course. When things resume, it will take a conscious decision to not get
caught up in the hamster wheel and not chase our tails. To savor what we have
instead of craving what we don’t.
I do want to say that my heart goes out to those who have lost their lives or their loved ones or their jobs. We might have gone crazy balancing work and two preschoolers during a pandemic with no help of any sort, but our struggles do NOT compare to those I'm thinking of right now. I hope the world will become more safe and enjoyable soon and we can all celebrate in small ways.
