2020 was undeniably the year that none of us expected. In between the lost loved ones, struggling careers, canceled engagements, and broken dreams, it quickly became easy to only focus on the dark side. We watched the entire world view this year as a glass half empty and we all inevitably wished for it to come to an end. But it was only after I accepted the fact that this was happening, that we were all in this global pandemic and social distancing was now engraved in my vocabulary, it was only then that I was able to find some peace and to see the silver linings of the year.
A peacefulness that came from slow mornings absent of carpool lines, hour long drives to work, and spilling coffee as we rushed out the door. The smiles on faces when we realized that daddy’s commute simply involved him sliding across the hallway floor in slippers on his way to the dining room table/make shift office.
The comfort of running errands with children in the car as an attendant brings your purchased items out to the curb. A luxury of local shopping that all parents hope will stay around long after the pandemic is over.
The gift of time. Time to write, time to create, to read a magazine cover to cover, to ride bikes down to the creek, to go on that mid day run before lunch, or time to sleep. So much extra time to sleep. Some days it felt like we had nothing but time. It was an unfamiliar dilemma but looking back, what a gift it was.
A peacefulness that brought us endless viewing sessions of Hamilton on Disney Plus. Noticing how it got better and better each time we watched it and seeing my children consumed in lyrics they didn’t understand but loving it just the same.
The discovery of family. Being home to watch the children take their first steps, ride a bike for the first time, or finishing that family craft project you never could get around to. The time spent with family that was usually squeezed in on the weekends after soccer games and before birthday parties. Spending more time behind these four walls we previously used simply as just a dumping ground for all our belongings.
In a year full of so much sadness, there were also blessings, tiny moments of joy, and little rays of hope. The unexpected surprises. The friendships that evolved through a computer screen. Marriages that were rekindled. Stray pets that showed up unannounced who now sleep at the foot of your bed. The unplanned but much welcomed pregnancies. The babies that were born in the middle of a pandemic.
To all these tiny blessings, you are what got us all through this year. You showed up. You made our glasses half full. And after days and months of holding our breath you helped us finally exhale. After all the the loss, the struggles, the canceled engagements, and broken dreams, we finally picked our chin up and there you were. Thank you for showing us it was safe to dream again.
To all of you reading this. I hope your your new year is filled to the rim with more love than your cup can hold. I hope this new year lets you dream and dream big and that 2021 brings you all the tiny blessings right when you need it.
