I read today that living through the past year has been like looking both ways before crossing the street…and then getting hit by a submarine. It’s as good a description as any of the dumpster fire that was 2020.
I say “was” because it’s over. Thank goodness it’s over.
No, life will not miraculously change now that it’s 2021. We’re still in the midst of a pandemic that has so far killed 1.8 million people. Stores and restaurants are going out of business, unemployment is high, and students are struggling to learn remotely, often without the right technology or other kinds of support. Weddings, graduations, and other milestone events have had to be canceled, postponed, or moved online. Some Americans — including many in positions of power — made it clear that their own profits and convenience are more important than public health for all. And thousands of racist and sexist protesters will descend on Washington, D.C., next week to support their hero Trump’s efforts to overturn November’s election.
But the news isn’t all bad. Covid vaccines are now on the market. The three-ring circus that is the Trump administration will be out in fewer than three weeks. And so far, nobody has been killed by murder hornets! We move into 2021 with relief that our year of living dangerously has ended, but we also move forward with hope.
Happy New Year!
The Petrini Page 