Good Riddance 2020

“Seventy-five years. That’s how much time you get if you’re lucky. Seventy-five years. Seventy-five winters, seventy-five spring times, seventy-five summers, and seventy-five autumns. When you look at it like that, it’s not a lot of time, is it? Don’t waste them.”  Eddie Murphy (here as Mr. Robinson on Saturday Night Live)

If 2020 was a bust, a historical dud-year, hopefully it wasn’t a waste.  I normally wax philosophical at the turn of a New Year but good riddance to 2020.

Friends endured job cutbacks or losses, health issues, unexpected deaths of other family members, separations, divorce or other hardships…not all due to COVID but that pesky virus didn’t help.

Still – I had some bright spots and realize I’m better off than many.  I have a great team at work and a purposeful job.  My parents, siblings and kids remain in good health.  We now have weekly Zoom meetings.  My parents log-on and we chat about nothing in particular.  2020 was a year to reconnect without being able to hug or high five in person.

Thanks to sheltering in place I developed a new hobby baking cookies, and lots of ‘em.  With COVID-19 I’ve gained 15.  In 2021 I hope to lose 20 to 21.

I fixed a steering system on my 25-year old riding mower (the machine only turns right but it turns), rafted four days in Oregon, and skied the Rockies before the slopes shut down.  I published new stories on my blog and a few on Hockey Player Magazine (here’s one).   I had a story performed live in local theater.

Early in this pandemic I explored places where COVID didn’t exist because simply, hardly anyone lives there.  Like northern Colorado, central Oregon, northeastern California.  Have car, will road-trip.  Let’s go.

It’s probably safe to say that we’ll all close 2020 with great expectations for 2021.   With 20:20 hindsight here’s my take-away, courtesy of Mister Rogers:  “Often, when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.”

Though 2020 was a bust the time I spent wasn’t wasted.  I tried to make each moment count.  And in that guise here’s a link to an old 2012 story entitled “Make Each Moment Count.”

Yep, 2020 was a bust.  Bring on 2021.  We’re ready for a fresh set of 365 days.  Be safe everyone and Happy New Year.

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