Today marks the end of the most amazing uncertain challenging disruptive surprising controversial enlightening surreal frustrating inspirational first half of a year you’re likely to ever experience again.
Things got off to a wonderful start when the crystal ball dropped in Times Square on January 1. By February, the stock markets were hitting all-time highs.
Then Covid-19. People died. The nation shut down. Workers stayed home. The economy stopped. Those same streets of New York empty. The Fed and Treasury infused liquidity into the markets. Wall Street soared back.
Then George Floyd. Protests across the nation. Voices seeking to highlight systemic racial unjust drowned out by looters and rioters. Factions took sides. Support Black Lives Matter. Back the Blue.
Then states reopened. Georgia. Texas. Florida. Half capacity. Three-quarters. Social distancing. Prom. Graduation. Memorial Day. Maybe this pandemic isn’t what we thought. Over-hyped by the left-leaning media. Underplayed by those on the right.
Then virus spread. Arizona. Texas. The Deep South. New cases nearing 50,000 per day. Hospitalizations rising fast. Return to closure for bars. Restaurants back to fewer customers at a time. Everyone should wear a mask. No one can make me.
This look back at recent history is a reminder that we didn’t see any of this coming six months ago. In hindsight, our New Year’s Eve 2020 vision wasn’t good – and we don’t have any idea what’s to come the rest of the year.
However, you have a chance to do things differently. Rather than make everything about your personal view of things, focus your energy on those around you. Listen more. Talk less. Think about their experiences, perspectives and needs.
The world will get through these times that defy all adjectives. Humanity always finds a way. The question is will we collectively as a society be better, the same or worse than when the year started 183 days ago?
