[EDITORIAL] I’m sorry, 2020, but we are moving on

Dear 2020:

It’s time we part ways.

We are no longer tolerating your behavior. This year, you have thrived on chaos, prolonged uncertainty, fear and divisiveness.

It has been one thing after another. Every time it seemed like things were returning to some sense of ‘normalcy’ (whatever that word means), you threw us another curveball:

• Devastating wildfires in Australia and the West Coast
• The passing of many notable celebrities
• A global pandemic
• Record unemployment numbers
• Never-ending extreme weather events
• Growing social injustice and civil unrest
• A crazy presidential election that we thought would never end

It honestly feels like we have been living in The Hunger Games and the odds definitely have not been in our favor.

You forced us into isolation. Employees were forced to work from home, students were forced to part ways with their friends and adapt to a whole new style of learning, graduations and weddings were canceled and families that didn’t live in the same household were forced to social distance.

You limited the possibility of any in-person interaction.

You turned our world upside down.

While you presented many challenges, I guess there are a few things we can thank you for.

We often times do not like to step outside our comfort zone, but you forced us to adapt to the changing world around us and ignited our innovation and creativity to solve problems.

Finding ways to connect with others became a priority. We knew technology was evolving quickly but we never dreamed that it would temporarily become the only means of communication for some. For nearly nine months, our lifeline has for the most part, relied on the strength of our Wi-Fi, zoom meetings, text messages, phone calls and an occasional small gathering, with social distancing and other healthcare guidelines in place.

This year, you taught us how to appreciate the simple things in life that we once took for granted: attending an in-person church service, sporting events, concerts, our jobs, family gatherings, in-person classes and unmasked walks in public.

You may have tested our faith a time or two, but we have shown resiliency in what has seemed like the worst year of our lives.

Unfortunately, we have run out of patience.

I’m sorry, 2020, but we are moving on.

Here’s to new beginnings.

2021, we cannot wait to see what you have in store for us.