Lessons from a less-than-perfect year
We’ve slammed the door shut on 2020 to welcome the New Year of 2021, and with a year like this past one -- with impeachment, pandemic, partisan divisions and patent corruption throughout our government, I – for one – am glad to turn the page on the new calendar.
There have been, however, some lessons learned this year-- both helpful and not-so-helpful -- and my first is illustrated here:
Like many American homes on New Year's Day, Dovie and Chad faced their annual battle of wits about which was more important: the NFL football game on ESPN or the lunch itself.
Hoping to keep the peace, Chad ate lunch with the rest of the family and even lingered for some afterlunch family gossip and idle chit-chat before retiring to his man-cave to turn on the wide-screen with surround sound.
Some minutes later, Dovie looked in to see how he was and graciously even brought a cold beer for Randy. She smiled, kissed him on the cheek and asked what the score was.
“Still 0 to 0,” he told her. “It’s half-time.”
“See?” Dovie said happily, “You didn't miss a thing.” The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us about time, when – once it passes – it’s irretrievable.
A month into the new year, Chad’s parents both passed away of COVID-19. Chad recently confessed he wished he had stayed at the New Year’s lunch table a few minutes more. “Like Janet said, “I really didn’t miss anything of the game but I missed time I could have spent with my elderly parents.”
The pandemic also has reminded us about the need for compromise. Chad also shared he wished he hadn’t brought back the argument about his NFL game during Dovie’s family-style celebration. “In a world view, whether or not I miss one or two games a season is no big deal – and Dovie works really hard to put together a beautiful table with wonderful food.
Dovie responds: “Chad also works hard in his job, so I respect him and his need to enjoy the ball game. Is a football game really that important? Probably not, but I love him and I can compromise, at least most of the time, about what I want and what Chad wants.
Life is fragile and precious. One day you’re healthy and the next day, maybe not. My father never left for work in the mornings without giving us three girls and my mom a kiss on the cheek and telling us he loved us. When my boys began driving, I continued practicing Dad’s same routine, except I added, “Be careful!”
COVID-19 has taught all of us to listen differently. I find myself listening between the lines, finding out what the speaker truly needs so I can be of service to them, whatever or wherever they need my help.
If we didn’t realize it before, we all now know having good neighbors and being a good neighbor is important to our survival. Offering to pick up grocery orders, prescription refills and run small errands is something neighbors can do for each other. This saves high-risk people from getting out and possibly exposed to the virus.
I took too many things for granted before COVID-19 -- seeing friends at church, hugging my grand darlings, regular seeing my talented hair-stylist Tony, the movies in a real movie theatre, having a good meal at a favorite restaurant, enjoying a cup of coffee or a glass of wine with a friend…my list of taken-for-granteds is long -- but I miss them all.
Not having to wear a mask, although until a majority of my friends and neighbors here in Dripping have been vaccinated too, I plan to keep wearing them -- for the safety of others as well as myself.
The love and sensitivity of our pets have been a real boost to my day-to-day outlook. I am fortunate enough to have three rescues – a black Lab Cass, little Naula and beautiful Ron-Duh! Them just being there make my days
Netflix and books -- two of my favorite forms of entertainment now.
My continued passion for writing that seems to grow every day.
They say old dogs can’t learn new tricks, but most of us “old dogs” have been doing exactly that – learning how to buy using apps, tune into meetings and webinars using Zoom, using our Kindles to read more books, finding new restaurants with the best pick-up and carryout services and many more. This list of newly-learned tricks is also long.
So, in celebration of the New Year, let us raise our cups of kindness to us, our flexibility and creativity and versatility. Let us toast good ole American ingenuity, our ability to compromise and work together and, finally, let us welcome the upcoming year with open arms as we go forward together with an eye toward a better future, more love for each other and good fortune, luck and well-being and God bless us everyone.