THE CLOUDS--Global pandemic beginning on March 13...unknown health risks, school through Zoom for 10 weeks to finish the year, masks, the pandemic culture filled with opinions, experts, flattening the curve, and then vaccination. Everything was cancelled in the spring: NCAA tournament, soccer seasons, Hoopfest and Bloomsday. We stressed over decisions to try to protect people around us, family gatherings adapted to be outdoors or online, making decisions on what symptoms should keep us home, wondering if we had covid, making plans in pencil because of the high risk of cancellation. And then the political election of 2020...those high emotions are ones I would rather not experience again. Lots of putting people in categories--and trying to fight not to!--liberal, conservative, mask-wearer, non-mask wearers, Black Lives Matter, police supporters. Though we were all immersed in GRAY, it felt as though our culture kept trying to get us to see black and white. You're either in this camp or the other. Lots of extremes. My blood pressure is rising just remembering it. But through it all, there were some beautiful moments...
THE SILVER LININGS--This year we tackled Zoom and Google Classroom like a boss! :) We are so adaptable. WE GOT NESSA. This seemed to be the phrase we all heard ourselves saying this year, "Covid stinks, but we LOVE NESSA." We got a house ready to sell, and moved our family to Lowe Road. We got several weeks with Colin and Linnea and Waffy! The kids all started at new schools in the fall. We renovated the basement of our new house to give Grace a new room and bathroom. And interspersed throughout we got used to being together so much...and liked MOST of it. :) We went through the Avengers movies chronologically, we baked bread and cookies and played board games and cribbage non-stop. We ordered groceries for pick-up and went for lots of (puppy!) walks. We snuggled Nessa and trained her with online videos as her "puppy classes." We got a Nintendo Switch, and spent many hours with Linnea and Colin, just living life. We found the benefits of reflection and prayer and anti-anxiety meds. Grace and Jeff got to start off a school year in the same building! And as things started to open up in the fall, we bravely tackled them in masks, and remembered--and still kept--the cozy family-at-home times that we could.
We end the year as grateful people. Perhaps more grateful than we've realized in the past. Here's to 2021--may it be closer to "normal" after an unprecedented year, while embracing the slowness and quality that we learned to value in 2020.
