2020 What a year? Did that really happen? Is this ever going to end? Personally, I have been through so many emotions. I’m sure all of us have been all over place with our feelings. My husband says I shouldn’t let people know that I have also had many positive experiences. He said people would hate me. I don’t think this is true. I’d like to believe that even though we have been through hard times, we still have the ability to grow and find joy in our lives. Here are a few things I learned during 2020.
In 2020, I learned that….
20. Nothing is a sure thing, nor will it ever be. ( I think we all learned that we can’t take advantage of our lives and our circumstances. I am humbled. It is all out of my control.)
19. Things can’t be lost that you never had to begin with. ( Oh, this is a tough one. The buzz was “My kid lost….” Me too. I said it also. I know our kids, we as parents, etc, had expectations last year. We wanted to celebrate trips, graduation, and many other milestones. They were missed. It sucked. It still sucks. We will and have created new memories. Our lives will go on. We need to be strong for our kids, for our family. We are still here. )
18. You can’t make things up, but you can make things new. ( You can’t redo graduation. You can’t redo a year worth of sports. You just can’t. New memories however can be made, and new things can be explored. Try something new. I know it is scary, but we have to move on. )
17. Some people changed, some didn’t, and some just showed us exactly who they are. ( I’ll just leave that there.)
16. I appreciate the “COVID Confessions” or I should say therapy sessions. ( I have reconnected with so may friends during 2020. Friends that I thought were lost, friends that I had misunderstood, friends that misunderstood me, and friends that I had grown apart from. It was great!!! I’m so happy to have these folks back in my life. Plus, I have the nerve to get in touch with others that have fallen off the grid. )
15. If you aren’t posting photos because you don’t want to be judged, maybe you shouldn’t be doing what you are doing. ( I know of many folks that traveled and didn’t want to quarantine when they returned. I also know folks that traveled responsibly and did quarantine. Things are still happening whether or not they are posted online. Just sayin.)
14. I felt/feel I’m not allowed to talk about my kids COVID school experience because they go to private school. ( When I try to bring something up it always gets shot down with ” Well, you pay for tuition.” I still have feelings about school, both good and bad. It would be nice to have someone that I can vent to about it.)
13. I never thought of myself as a hugger, but you are all in trouble when this blows over. (I’ll be hugging everyone! LOL! Just know that when I see you, I want to hug you.)
12. I have taken things for granted. I’m sure you have as well. May we never do that again.
11. There has been kindness in all the madness. There is plenty of kindness in this world beyond all the yucky stuff. That keeps me sane.
10. The eyes truly are the window to the soul. ( I have never looked so many people in the eyes before masks. We are actually looking at each more. )
9. There is a big difference between being alone and being lonely. ( Choose which one you’d like to be.)
8. We can still be together even when we are apart.
7. Life is short. Do the work. Find your joy. Live for yourself and not the expectations of others.
6. Holy crap! I miss travel! I miss Broadway! I miss ladies night! ( While I miss all these things I am grateful for all the places we have traveled, shows we have seen, and all the parties we have thrown. I can look back and say, “I did it!”)
5. I don’t regret a single dollar spent on life experiences! ( That is where all my money will go in the future, not on stuff. 2020 can’t take away all the memories that we have stored in our hearts.)
4. Yes, I have thought about all those times I said, “No”. ( Sure, I have a few regrets. I’m changing that going forward.)
3. After all of these months, I’m still purging our belongings. ( Where the hell did all of this stuff come from? I’m embarrassed. I will do better.)
2. You can always reinvent yourself. ( During this time, take some inventory, and see if you are truly all you want to be. If not, change it!)
1. I like myself. I forgot who I was for a bit there, but I found her. ( I’m bringing it in 2021 and not a soul can stop me.)
Thank you for sharing your positive experiences! The only way we can move forward is to balance the losses and hold on to each other ?
That should be a heart, not a ? LOL. Happy New Year