Here we are almost at the end of 2020. We had wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, a global pandemic and ensuing recession. We stayed home and away from social gatherings, and none of this really required reiteration, did it?
Was it a total bust? Was there nothing gained in this wreck of a year? I’ve managed A’s in all of my classes this year, which was quite an accomplishment. I had some pretty challenging courses — imagine that, in my Junior year. I also achieved Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate, or MCSA, and one of the exams took me two tries. It was the first technical exam I’ve ever failed, but when I retook it, I rocked it!
I accomplished little else this year. My Christmas decorations came out of storage on schedule, Thanksgiving morning, and I put some up every few days, but I didn’t get them all done. My advent calendar, cross-stitched with loving exactitude over several years, is still in its storage bag. We did, however, do our traditional Christmas Eve Junk Food Feast, and that made up for everything else.
Life throws curve balls. Maybe not always on this scale, but there are always things that go, well, not exactly as expected. We are normally able to navigate stormy waters and rocky paths, but many of us had to figure out how to live in a completely different way as children were learning to learn at home and parents were learning to work at home while helping their children learn to learn at home. Hospitals struggled with staff and space and patients struggled with the loneliness of not having their family able to visit.
We saw an extremely contentious election, and I really thought the last time around was about as bad as it could get. I was wrong.
Through this time, our Savior has been aware of us. He loves us. He loves us as a species, and He loves us as individuals. This is something that does not change. Justice — true, clear, perfect justice — will not be achieved in this world, but that does not excuse us from trying to exhibit it. As we move into next year, I hope as individuals we will try to be just. I hope we will try to be fair. (Those words are similar, but not synonymous.)
Through this time we struggled to find something normal in a non-normal existence. We do not need normal in order to show compassion. We can care for someone without coming into direct contact with them. Caring for someone else may be the most important thing we can do for ourselves.
Even though my 2020 didn’t see me setting the world on fire with goal achievement, I’m doing it again for 2021. I did some stuff that I wanted to do, even if I didn’t do all the stuff I wanted to do.
In 2021 I want to show more care. I want people to feel the Savior’s love, and it’s my job to help make that happen.
Drop a comment below to share how you plan to change 2021.