2020: Bidding Farewell

Here we are at last, bidding goodbye to 2020. Who could have suspected what the past year would hold? That we would be wearing masks, compulsively washing hands, and quarantining across the globe? That the world economy would simply freeze for months? That so many plans, both minor and major, would be turned upside-down? It has been a year of anxiety and argument, disappointment and division, uncertainty and isolation.

United we Isolate

But it has also been a year of connection, resilience, and hope. Who could have foreseen that the entire world would be passing through this peril together? Who would have thought that people alone in their homes in Botswana, Bolivia, and Bulgaria would have a common set of experiences to draw on? Who would have thought we could come so far in remote work technologies, live event streaming, and online orders and delivery? Twenty or even ten years ago, it is hard to imagine how the world could have kept functioning while under quarantine, but we are finding a way – together.

And finally, at the end of the year, we can again join hands (virtually) in a spirit of hope for the future. I truly believe that “the weary world” can rejoice at Christmastime in celebration of the God who does not take us out of the fire, but who walks through it with us, until we come out the other side stronger and more dependent on him. But even if you don’t believe that, the New Year is a time for renewed hopes and dreams, for a fresh start.

Celebration and Challenge

I have seen a great deal on Facebook in the past year about not beating ourselves up for being unproductive, or for struggling, or for taking a break. I’ve seen many reminders to pat ourselves on the back just for surviving the year. It is, indeed, unproductive to set arbitrary and unrealistic standards and then burn out trying to meet them. It is important to take time to celebrate the small things – a snowfall, a sunset, or a shooting star – and to remember that life itself, even without the frills, is a miracle.

On the other hand, when I sit back and relax too long, I have a tendency to get stuck in my own head, and I have to do something productive to get unstuck. Setting realistic goals and meeting them always helps me get my mind back on track, even if it doesn’t make me particularly happy when I first change into my workout clothes. For me, at least, stopping to rest and reflect and celebrate never lasts very long. I get antsy. I want to be looking forward, planning something, setting out on something. New Year’s is one of my favorite times, not only because I get to reflect on how far I’ve come, but because I get to set new goals and seek new challenges.

I’ll talk a little more about resolutions next week. For now, if you’ll indulge me, I’d like to share some of my own thoughts on where I’ve come in 2020 and where I think I’m going next.

My Journey

It’s been a busy year. I graduated from the nuclear training pipeline and qualified to stand watch over a nuclear reactor and its associated steam plant. I left Charleston and moved about as far across the world as I could, to Japan, where I live now. I met a lot of good friends and said goodbye to many more. I spent 25 days quarantined in a single barracks room. I deployed – the longest I’d been at sea in my life. I helped lead worship for an aircraft carrier. I started learning Japanese. And I rented my first house. It’s been a crazy year.

By the end of next year, I will hopefully have a grasp on basic Japanese. I will probably have finished another deployment. I will have lived abroad for longer than I ever have in my life. And who knows what else the year might bring (hopefully a vaccine)?

Take some time to reflect at the end of this year, time to celebrate making it through and just being alive. But if you wind up stuck in your head, consider finding some new challenges to focus on, whether at work, for family, or just for fun. 2020 is the year we discovered our resilience; let’s make 2021 the year we reaffirm our resolution.

Happy New Year, everyone!

“Fireworks” by bayasaa is licensed under CC BY 2.0