Dear 2020

 We're no longer tolerating your lousy behavior. You thrive on chaos, divisiveness, and fear. You seem to derive great pleasure from causing pain to others and enabling prolonged uncertainty. 

It's Over 

Every time it seemed things returned to some sense of 'normalcy' (whatever that means-you messed that up, too) you threw some other wacky things our way.

• Devastating wildfires in Australia and the west coast.
• A global pandemic whose coronavirus affected over 75M people (including the U.S. president)and killed more than 1.7M worldwide.
• Record unemployment numbers.
• A stock market crash
• Never-ending extreme weather events.
• Growing social injustice and civil unrest.

(Oh, and "murder hornets"- what was that about?)    

You forced isolation, took away freedoms we didn't realize we had or how we'd miss, stole loved ones from us, and pushed us to the brink. You disrupted the way we work, live, and learn, at times removing the possibility of in-person anything. 

You beat us down and nearly broke us.

 

To be fair, it wasn't all bad. In fact, there's one thing we can thank you for: forcing us to adapt.

You played that tough love card, shaking us out of any ruts in which we'd safely kept ourselves nestled and demanding that we examine the way we move through the world individually, as part of our communities, and as a planet. 

You ignited our innovation and creativity to solve new problems in new ways. You gave us an ultimatum: pivot or perish, and as best as we could, we've risen to the challenge, building our collective grit along the way.

Together from afar, we endured, we persevered and got through this toxic, exhausting relationship with you. Ironically, you also taught us the importance of kindness, empathy, and patience. We learned how an encouraging word or small gesture could be the much-needed fuel to carry someone through the dark abyss of their existence. Forced to suspend travel and in-person experiences, we lived vicariously through our Netflix queue and fiction, relying on it for an escape to new worlds.

And after years of neglect, we finally applied these concepts to ourselves by unapologetically recognizing that self-care is not selfish; it's essential for our sanity, well-being, and ability to care for others.

It was comforting to know that we had each other out there, beyond the screen. Our lifeline relied on the strength of our wifi and willingness to reach out.

We also came to appreciate and wax nostalgic over the things we once took for a granted-an unmasked walk into a public place, hugging our friends, and attending a concert or play. Without your dark lows, we may have never fully rejoiced in the beloved (but infrequent) bright spots when they appeared.

Collectively we were put to the test, and our resiliency carried us through what's been a messy, imperfect, and rocky road.

And together, we'll overcome and move on. 

So sorry, 2020, you had your time, but we're through.

It's not us; it's you.

We're choosing hope, optimism, and new beginnings. The promise of change and possibilities. 

A chance for a massive reset and fresh start. 

- Aadrika Tripathi