So, the year has come to an end. To me, it seems like just yesterday we were bidding farewell to 2019 and shooing in the top of 2020 with the ever-concurrent displays of fireworks and ball drops. To others, perhaps yourself, this year was the most long-winded chapter of their lives, thus far. Barely two months into the year, every country was faced with a national security issue of a different kind, an invisible enemy the likes of which my generation had not yet seen and others had not seen in a long time: COVID-19. The damage the virus had done was that of catastrophic proportions; as I type this, the number of lives lost to the coronavirus worldwide is teetering dangerously close to 2 million and will likely reach it some time in January, if the rate of diagnosis remains the same.
As awful as the devastation of society has been as it is measured by the irreplaceable lives snuffed out by the virus, there are others still: the collapse of the economy which both resulted in and came about as a result of the unemployment of millions of Americans instilled a fear and uncertainty of the future that hadn't been felt by so many Americans at once for a long time. Then came the tragedy of George Floyd, whose vicious murder sparked (more than justifiable) outrage worldwide, and uncovered a string of eerily similar murders that had been less known by the general public on account of the media's disinclination/lack of information (it's not abundantly clear which it is) that had happened over the course of the last few years; Elijah McClain comes to mind. I was ready to post my reflections on this topic sometime in June, but thought the better of it. I realized that typing away furiously at my keyboard was futile (let this one go). It wasn't going to bring about any change, and also, what can be said about all of this, really?! Everything that can be said has already been said, now it's just a matter of doing what needs to be done. Anything short of that would be a grievous disservice to George Floyd and others like him.
That said though, despite all of the challenges and sadness we've seen and experienced this year, it isn't the year itself that brought us said challenges. It infuriates me to no end when I hear people say, "2019 was a garbage year, bring on 2020", or "I can't wait for 2021" as if all of their problems would suddenly acknowledge that they've overstayed their welcome by the end of the year and promptly see themselves out before the beginning of the next, it's ridiculous! (you know I'm passionate about a topic when the exclamation point makes an appearance) Every year comes with its own set of challenges, but I feel I have to reiterate that it doesn't bring them.
As the devastating details of World War II were covered by journalists at home and abroad, the phrase "goodnight and good luck" was adopted from then Princess Elizabeth's infamous end-of-year radio address by famed war correspondent Edward Murrow. The phrase encapsulated the universal sentiment of the unpromised tomorrow. Again, tomorrow is never certain, but for many nowadays as it was then, it's a little more uncertain. So, with hope for a fast-approaching end to this pandemic, I say unto you, goodnight and good luck!
Very interesting point of view. Here's to a year of new beginnings!
ReplyDelete