I know how easy it is to blame the year itself for all the bad that happened. From Australia to what would ultimately spill over into 2021.
But if it was all 2020’s fault how did it spill over? How did the year when life stood still get its grubby little cold hands on 2021? Time is continuous, it doesn’t stop for anyone or anything (yet that time machine is coming.. or is here just not in our time line) that’s how it keeps coming back.
I remember thinking in February last year, my team is going to come together and and play hard and I’ll be done because I left it better than when I found it. Had no real motivation to finish my book(s) I was just going through the motions of life. Little did I know that in just a few short weeks life as we knew it was going to change FOREVER! If we didn’t all live it, that would sound over dramatic. However that’s exactly what we did, live it. We lived in isolation, we lived as others lost the fight to this thing that only wanted to destroy. We lived as injustice grabbed hold and drew a line in the street. That line has also followed us into 2021. We lived as history was made as the first woman was elected to the office of the Vice President. This has also drawn a line in the street. We lived through one giant meme of a year.
I can tell you I watched so many grow, pick up new hobbies or improve themselves. I changed jobs and had what I would call a very unique experience, I didn’t lose my job or anything. I actually was one of the few that never had time off even in a job change. In that I felt like my 2020 experience didn’t count because I luckily didn’t lose my job or be forced to go remote, I haven’t lost someone to the virus that has cut through this world. It’s almost as if 2020 didn’t happen to me but rather all around me. I actually feel a bit guilty.
So now here we are back at this point in time just a few short weeks away from when all this started. So what now? If you are here, if you’re reading this, you have a chance to change the time line. For me time did stand still around me because I never stopped, but everything else did. My isolation was self inflicted. If you stared a new hobby say rock climbing, park skating, collecting rocks, filling your house with plants (yeah plants), got more time with your kids or significant other. If you were stuck alone and afraid, fell into the dark hole of isolation sickness, if your mental health took a turn. 2021 is a new timeline if you want to try something different.
We’ve already seen that things that have never been done can happen. Like an attack on the capitol or swearing in a historic VP. So believe in the fact that you can also push the line of limits you place on yourself.
Just a bit of gushing over my 2021 so far. I took time off for the first time in at least 6 years. Yeah I haven’t taken more than one or two days off in 6 years. I took the days after the inauguration off because we’ll yeah seemed like a good idea. On that time off I got to sit at a kitchen table helping my oldest daughter with her math (I suck at math) watching her get excited when she did it right. Helping her through her frustration. I got to read work from a friend who is doing the damn thing in the world I’d love to live in. I got inspired by her. I also got to read something that was so powerful that I’m here, back on my blog (that’s still weird to say) telling you about it. In her writing she sets up a story that I wasn’t sure where it was going, if the different parts were even connected. Her writing is what I aspire to be as a writer. Telling a story with such vividness that it can grab your heart through a phone screen and just when you think it’s swinging in for the soon to be bloody twist and rip... it gently lets go and wipes the tear from your cheek and reminds you to live at the speed of life.
You can stop here if you’d like but some thank you’s I’d like to say for helping me get through 2020 and starting 2021 off better than could be expected.
Johnson you know how much you’ve been there for me.
My newlywed derby wife, we look down on everyone from an out of body realm.
Sea monstrosity I’d never have guessed you would be one of the people I’d grow to look up to and hope one day I can be like you. Keep it up!
Lucky I’m so glad to know you and truly have no words.
Mel I’m not sure how it happened and it’s not even like we speak often but you’ve come to be one of my favorite people to follow. You once asked me how I find the time to do so much... I think you have found that answer.
Anyone on my team that reads this I miss you all the most.
-MH
