Finding the Bright Side of 2020

        

Well this has been an interesting year to say the least.  As we are experiencing an isolated locked down Christmas and will be ringing in the New Year in the same manner, I can’t help but reflect.

We can dwell on the negative and lament the things that were cancelled and what we missed out but I’m going to try to take a bit of a different approach.  Please don’t take this as me in any way trying to downplay the events of 2020, the social justice movements, the pandemic, unemployment etc.  This is simply my attempt at a glimpse of both personal and societal things that I find hope and promise in. 

2020...the year that was:

• We stopped caring about the price of gas
• We all became experts at Zoom and Teams as a simple survival.
• We learned that the Church is different from the church and that we don’t have to be in a building to be in community.
• I learned that people really didn’t like my beard and were willing to give a great deal of money to charity to see it shaved off.
• The world woke up to the Black Lives Matter movement and efforts to affect real change are happening around the world.
• I attended my first ever protest and brought my children as well. 
• We learned that loving our neighbour could be as simple as wearing a mask and we encouraged others to do the same
• Working from home meant that I was given the opportunity it work alongside my wife of 15 years.  It’s given me a much better understanding of her working world and stresses.
• In addition to this, I was blessed enough to be able to work every day with no shutdowns or furloughs
• I’ve seen my children mature and become so much more independent in a short time.
• I was able to be a part of a couple of book launch teams and expand my knowledge in many areas
• I had the opportunity to speak to a church about LGBTQ affirmation and I've learned so much on the issues facing that community
• I found that many local distilleries and breweries will deliver right to the house
• I played more board games and card games than I had in 10 years prior
• Conversations have become more meaningful because we don’t know the next time we’re going to see the person.  Whether by text or phone, more real conversations are happening.
• I started this blog and introduced myself to the world (or at least the ones of you that read this)

I’m not ignorant to the fact that I’ve been very lucky.  People around the world are suffering and I could just as easily come up with a list of why 2020 has been a complete shit show; but I’m trying to find the silver lining.  To paraphrase a very smart lady named Lindsay Austin, “The worst year of your life doesn’t get to define the rest of your life; unless you let it.”

What good can you take from 2020?  A new creative direction, a birth, or just the best damn sourdough around?  What are you thankful for in the year that was?

As we close out 2020, hold your loved ones close and don’t take your health for granted.  Keep sticking up for those less fortunate for any reason and continue to look for ways to engage with people.

Let’s put 2020 on the shelf and look forward to brighter times.  God bless you all and thank you for following me through this journey.  Here’s hoping 2021 is full of great lessons and experiences and the world gets healthy and breathes a collective sigh of relief.  Thank you all.