Sleepy Hound Dog. Photo by The Pensacola Hippie
This year is on its last few hours--- and for this fact I am grateful.
Year 2020 has been one that will live on in human history as one where widespread destruction occurred . First of all: a pandemic arrived early in the year and still rages on in these United States-- making its formal entrance into Americans' lives in March.
The pandemic is THE story of 2020's suckitude, but it is not the only story that makes for a crappy year. I've learned now that NOTHING takes the place of sending quality time with loved ones--and never again will I take hugs & handshakes for granted.
Racial tensions heated up after George Floyd murder by a White cop--- sparking { socially-distanced} protests throughout the nation. I learned that White Supremacy and anti-Semitism never went away. Rather-- the people who espoused this hatred thrived in secret communities on the Dark Web. Locally, our protests remained somewhat violence-free { no one was killed].
This election season was like no other -- at least like none in my lifetime. Donald Trump's re-election bid divided families, friends & neighbors-- many of whom had enjoyed close kinship for years. This was a year in which I feel like I met many people whom I'd thought I'd known for the first time. I totally understand that this is a two-party political arrangement-- but what I struggle to reconcile in my heart is how many good , kind people voted for Donald Trump. The fact that the popular vote tally was as close as we saw this year speaks volumes about America and Americans. To me, this election reflected the { dark, hate-filled} underbelly of American's collective thought processes. While I do not remove people from my life simply because I know how they voted-- I'll forever shake my head at what led them to align themselves with a person who is the embodiment of all that is ugly about being American.
This was a year of extreme weather. Fires on the West Coast and an extreme hurricane seasons in the Gulf and Atlantic. Pensacola was surprised by " Sally's" sharp turn to the East, leaving many city & county residents woefully unprepared. Naturally the areas hit hard by the extreme weather patterns got no help from FEMA --- but the utility companies from other regions sent crews to the area to at least get storm-ravaged areas back on the power grid.
" Sally"-- due to Skanska's negligence-- knocked out the main bridge that connects Santa Rosa & Escambia Counties. Barges-- left incorrectly tied down-- struck the Three-Mile Bridge and left the spit of land that is Gulf Breeze like an island. It is my hope & prayer that the company who did not bother to prepare for a possible storm situation will lose all its assets in the upcoming class-action lawsuit.
This year saw my beloved paternal Grandmother, Anne, get to meet Jesus. After a long illness and a full, 90-year life, Grandma is healthy & whole in the next realm.
In short-- I am glad that this horrible year is almost over. 2021 looks to be a year of small victories. A new Administration will take hold in January and the COVID vaccine will find its way to more people. My faith teaches me that there is always HOPE . I'd lie if I said that holding onto that hope has been easy this year.
Let us carry the hard lessons from 2020 into 2021 and beyond.
Sarah
New Years' Eve 2020
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