Whelp! 2020 sure has been a doozy so far, but there are only a few days left! cue music But seriously, with all the memes, skits, bits, and fits about the year that has terrorized us all, there are things for which to be grateful. (Now, I in no way mean to minimalize the negative or traumatizing experiences that many people have faced this year; I only mean to explore a “silver-lining” or path towards a balanced restoration. My heart goes out to anyone who has suffered or experienced loss.) Here are some positive things that we might learn from 2020-

The Art of Reflection and Adaptation: Practicing self- reflection, pondering unknowns, and maneuvering uncharted waters on a daily basis- these are the ingredients for critical thinking, analysis, and thoughtful contemplation. If there is anything to be said about 2020, it is that every day was a surprise. From forest fires to quarantine, many people’s lives, relationships, businesses, finances, and health habits were uprooted in one fell swoop (did you know that “one fell swoop” is attributed to William Shakespeare?) Many businesses, schools, and health facilities heard words like “pivot,” “essential,” or “COVID-Ready” over and over again. But mostly the word “pivot.” I must commend the resourcefulness of businesses and schools everywhere during this unprecedented time. I share my gratitude with front-line workers in all industries; they kept the country moving during lock-downs. Thank you to healthcare workers for being there in the battlefield each and every day.
With business models changing, schools closing, and social events being cancelled or postponed, everyone had to adapt and pivot. Restaurants invested in tents and heaters for outdoor use; they transformed their parking lots into dining space equipped with atmospheric bistro lights and fire pits. Some folks even made permanent additions and renovations to their patios, which will hopefully continue to reap benefits and attract customers after COVID ( 2021 A.C.) Many cafes changed their business model to take out and delivery only. Chefs had to prioritize ingredient lists for inventory and condense or completely reinvent their menu items. None of this has been pleasant or easy, but people are doing it. People are reflecting on what is needed in order for their businesses to survive in these times, and they are adapting. People everywhere are showcasing the redeeming and admirable qualities of humanity: our will, determination, creativity, collaboration, ambition, charity, and ingenuity.
With all this beings said, there is no arguing that many restaurants are struggling, in fact, a majority of them are. For those who have lost their restaurant or business, or have been faced with tough financial choices, or have had to make the difficult decision of letting your workers go, I wish you the best and hope that things begin to turn around in your favor. The loss of businesses and restaurants will continue to rise in the aftermath of COVID and the impending recession/inflation/rent domino debacle. I have hope that as a society, we will rise and continue to adapt and grow. If anything, 2020 shows us that despite all odds, we can.
The restaurant industry was not the only business that was forced to unearth its collective ingenuity, many offices began holding all virtual seminars, client meetings, presentations, and other work-from- home virtual models. There was a ZOOM BOOM, and some folks had to learn these technologies for the first time in order to continue with their daily work tasks. People purchased second monitors, webcams, mics, lights, cables, or new software in order to meet the demands of working from home. There was certainly a learning curve between generations, but online YouTube tech tutorials sprang up, tech-savvy workers helped train their colleagues, and businesses provided training modules and online courses for their staff. People collaborated and helped each other navigate the new terrain. The workplace was imbued with a new sense of “we are in this together.” There was a sudden necessity for a sort of world-wide tech training course, which means a lot of individuals and workers now have a set of skills and a new means for better collaboration that they did not have in 2019. These skills and platforms will (ideally) help companies and individuals with future success in our fast pace “21st century skills” world. 2020 gave the business world a “crash-course” in technology and innovation, which in a way, gave some of the less tech savvy folks an edge that they didn’t previously hold.
Teachers, students, and parents had to adapt to the new challenges that accompany virtual and hybrid learning. This has been a major challenge and a topic of debate in all fifty states. Reports find that while some students are thriving in the virtual setting, others are struggling to stay on task and grasp the concepts they are studying. We do not want any of our children to fall through the cracks, so this has been a complex topic of debate. The situation has also sparked some philosophical questions about school such as “What is the purpose of school?” “What and how should we teach?” “What will schools look like in the future now that we have dabbled with online only?” These discussions are occurring in some education circles, but what eventualities, if any, these discussions will yield has yet to be determined. Educators are currently focused on designing curriculum in new ways to meet the needs of their students in the most engaging way possible. This delicate topic has divided many counties as every child has different needs, and every child is responding and performing differently to their schooling platform.
So, what is the silver-lining here? Well, this silver lining theoretically occurs in the future as part of the reflection process. Depending on the age of the child in 2020, depending on where they are in their cognitive development, determines (roughly) how they are processing these events. With the frustrations of fixing tech issues and inconsistencies, missing friends from school, and yearning for hands on activities in the classroom, comes the lesson of patience. The lesson of hope. The lesson of perseverance. The lesson of “life won’t always be ideal, but you can always do the best you can with what you’ve got.” So often we take things for granted, and we even have a saying - “you don’t miss it until its gone.” Kids are learning the meaning behind that statement at an early age. As they grow up and things eventually return to “normal,” I think children from this generation will begin to recognize and process these lessons. Of course, how we, the adults behave and speak on the challenges of 2020 will greatly shape and affect how and when this reflection will occur. So there is a lesson for us too, “life won’t always be ideal, but you can always do the best you can with what you’ve got.” (Yes, it is the same lesson for both… because inside this lesson is another one: life doesn’t always care that you are just a kid, and it will give you grown up lessons whether you were ready for them or not. It is about what you learn and how you reflect and adapt and grow.- which ultimately is what school seeks to instill in you. #authenticeducation)

(*Side note: Again, I feel for the kids who are struggling. They need more than what this situation has given them. They certainly deserve more. They deserve the best possible circumstances for their education and growth. I wish not to minimalize the very real struggle that parents, teachers, and students are facing. I only wish to offer a positive note in this trying time. I wish the best for everyone and hope for a swift return to a sense of normalcy.)

“Me Time”: Time- the ever waning resource. For we introverts, long periods of alone time without the fear of FOMO has been revitalizing (for the most part.) There has been no fear of missing out. No fear of hurting someone’s feelings when you are too tired to say ‘yes’ to their invitation. No constant dinging of calendar invites to manage and maintain. Keeping to yourself became the standard and the expectation during 2020, and many folks found the much needed time to thrive. While extroverts felt the cabin fever creep in earlier than the introverts did, I think it is safe to say that many people learned to ask themselves, “What is it that I WANT to be doing right now?” So often we complain about the lack of time, and yet when presented with any amount of free time, many of us have no idea where to begin. The empty space between appointments and obligations becomes noisy and frightening (or maybe that is just a type of anxiety?) We fill our time with social media, meandering, television- and while there is nothing inherently wrong with any of those activities, it is important to recognize that sometimes folks do not use their time to do the things that make them happy; the things that bring them peace or purpose. (and this, I truly believe, is the cause for much angst- no matter the year.)
Remember the sourdough craze? How about when chess sales skyrocketed over 100%? (Mostly fueled by the amazing Netflix show Queen’s Gambit) Did you ever visit a Michael’s or craft store? If you did, like I did, you would have noticed that craft supplies were selling out! Etsy stores sprang up left and right, and many people turned to streaming services to share their talents or crafts. It was impossible to find a bicycle at DICKS or Walmart for the first four months of the pandemic, but if you looked out your window, you would see children and adults pedaling down the street at all hours of the day. While gym memberships crashed, household Peloton and Mirror Workout Systems increased. Heck, I even started running….on purpose! People found ways to fill the void- to adapt. But I think it was much more than that. I think people began to find ways to fill themselves with joy. Monotony, the hustle and bustle of life, the endless list of obligations and social events, and the fear of saying “no" have driven a wedge between people and what they need- time to be alone; time to be themselves; time to participate solely in what they want for no other reason than because that is what they want to do at that very moment in time.
In 2020, we were given an excuse to become masters of our own time, and I have been trying to take advantage of it. I am still navigating- learning how to manage my time. I am hoping to continue some of the habits I have created (work out regiments, daily reading hour, daily hobby hour, and extra dog walks) into “post-COVID” times.
COVID has also changed the way we eat. I have, like many other folks, been experimenting in the kitchen. With may restaurants closed or restricted, people have been cooking more. “According to The NPD Group, print unit sales for bread cookbooks in the United States grew 145 percent year over year, for the nine months ending September 2020. As the coronavirus pandemic shelter at home orders and restaurants closures forced more people to cook at home more, many turned to baking and bread-making as a way to pass the time and learn a new cooking skill.” Other sources reported cookbook sales were “jumping in 2020.” Cooking is a skill, cooking is fun (which is separate from doing dishes, which is NOT fun), cooking can be a family activity, and ultimately, eating good food is the best. The dinner table is where a great deal of family conversation and interaction occur, and in 2020, we saw an increase in family dinners at the kitchen table. After all, “food is the ingredient that binds us together.”
Overall, I guess the silver-lining here is that when faced with yourself, you have to find yourself and what makes you happy. Being forced to slow down and have more time alone allowed for many folks to engage in hobbies and activities that have brought them joy or a sense of purpose. Happiness and purpose are pillars of a good life. Let’s keep it up.
Connection: As mentioned before, there seems to be an unintentional rebranding of the phrase “we are all in this together.” This has been encouraging in some workplace scenarios where staff members have had to collaborate in order to build their new platforms and business models. People are utilizing and sharing their skill sets to better benefit one another in the workplace. That is a good thing, right? Collaboration is up, and asking for help is becoming a new normal in many offices and school buildings. It seems some are breaking out of comfort zones in the name of better collaboration and synergy. Let us not forget that in worst case scenarios, any damage control is a team effort. So, even though much of our workplace interaction in 2020 is virtual, the need to partner or work together is high.
Now, overall, 2020 has robbed us of our usual social gatherings and events, but we have found new ways to be with the ones we love. We have sat outside glass doors and windows at nursing homes, we have face-timed family and friends, we have set up virtual game nights, we have created “pods” for socialization. Ultimately, this has created a more intimate setting for friends and family. Not only that, but a lot of the activities are healthy and enriching. People are turning to walking or running groups, online book clubs, online sewing clubs, face-time talks, online game nights with board games or other interactive play, online NETFLIX viewings (Netflix created it’s own platform for this) , school pods, online jam sessions, twitch streaming, Masterclass(esque) courses, and park picnics. People are now seeking out new ways to be social; social interaction is a basic human need that cannot be met (amply) during a lockdown. Because of this, people have joined new online groups, started new hobbies, started face-timing/calling family more often, created social PODS for in-person interaction, shared skills or crafts on an online platform, or increased participation in outdoor activities.
I miss concerts and art galleries, but am warmed by the way our love for friends and families has shined through during this pandemic. There is so much we could dwell on, there is so much going on, but to see people reaching out to one another, to see families and friends finding ways to spend time together despite closures, restrictions, and less than ideal conditions is a gift. 2020 has reminded us not to take our loved ones for granted. 2020 has reminded us of the love we feel and of our innate desire for connection.

In conclusion, 2020 has taught us that priorities matter. That time is to be cherished. That we as a species- as a society- are resourceful and charitable. To spend time with loved ones. To reflect on one’s endeavors. To work together to build a stronger world. To seek wisdom from our hardships. To slow down from time to time. And most importantly, to make sure you aren’t on mute.