Well, only a few hours left of 2020 and some people are thinking tomorroow,2021, will be different but it won't. The vaccine has given us hope that we'll slowly pull ourselves out of the pandemic but it's not going to come overnight. I'm guessing we'll still be wearing a mask when we're out in public places even next summer because there are a lot of people who won't have the vaccine and won't wear a mask. That's the danger that will stay with us for a while yet.
2020 wasn't a very good year for me even excluding the pandemic. I got sick in early January and it took me months to recover. Then we had to hightail it home from Florida in mid March because the border was getting ready to close. Once home, I think most of us were very apprehensive about the unknown with the virus, many hoping it would disappear as fast as it had arrived but it only got worse. I think it will continue to worsen until the spring when most of us will have received the vaccine.
In August, I was slaughtered by the worst case of sciatica I'd ever experienced in my life and that lasted 1 1/2 months. I was in constant, unbearable pain to the point where I almost couldn't walk. And then, also in August, I had a falling out with Cindy that lasted 3 months. No mother ever wants to have their child deeply upset with them even if I did feel the fault lay with Cindy. One thing I learned from that episode is that I will never let bad feelings keep me apart from my loved ones for more that 1 day (we often need a day to regain our composure). The love was always there but we were both hurt by words said and actions taken. My sole excuse is that I can't and won't be around angry people even if I caused that anger. Anyway, we did talk it out and I hope we both learned a few lessons. It just never should have taken 3 months.
The next thing to hit me was finding out I have low blood platelets and, because of Covid, probably won't find out much about that until it's safe to see the hematologist personally.
Okay, lots of crap over the year but we all survived. None of my kids or grandkids were out of work. None got sick. We all did our best to be together even if it was by using Zoom. I got to see Jackson a few times and revel in the beauty of that precious baby. I did willingly keep more to myself than I would have preferred because I know my age and my lousy immune system means I'm more vulnerable to the virus but I didn't mind that an awful lot. I've got tons of interests to fill my time. My pensions kept coming in so I didn't have to worry about money and I even bought a new 2 year old car...the Nissan Rogue I've wanted for years.
I think the worst thing to happen to my family was that Kim fell off her bike and broke her wrist and it needed surgery. One of the best was Matt meeting Jackie who gets along great with the family (and with Matt). These are life events that had nothing to do with 2020 or the epidemic.
When I look back on 2020 it will be with the sad realization that we can't become so complacent that we think we're beyond being brought to our knees the way war torn countries are. We were downed by a germ. I will continue to be impressed with how many people accepted wearing a mask and keeping the 6' distance in public. I will continue to accept that not all people can be trusted to do the right thing. I will be happy beyond words that Trump will not be president of the United States after January 20, 2021. I will hope we never see another politician like him ever in anyone's lifetime.
2020 didn't defeat us. It made us stronger.
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