A Farewell to 2020

Since the birth of Faith & Fancy, come the end of every year, I craft a post looking back and reflecting on the past twelve months. It has become a year end tradition I cherish quite a lot and one that I look forward to. I love everything these farewells represent - gratitude, reflection, closure - and they are collectively some of my favorite posts. Having this collection of paragraphs, sentences, and words that represent years gone by is so special - each year it is a gift I am giving my future self, and that future self will forever be grateful for them. 

With that being said, as we started approaching the end of twenty twenty, I felt paralyzed & overwhelmed thinking back on all that this year threw at us. I felt like I had a million things to say, but at the same time I felt so depleted that I just didn't know if the words would ever come.

How do I ever properly articulate what this year was, what it wasn't, what it taught me? How do I honor the losses I felt this year, while respecting the actual, much worse losses way too many people faced? How do I find the right things to say about twenty twenty? Where do I even begin..?

I don't know if my words will ever do this year justice, or truly represent all that it was, but in honor of how far we've come, I'm going to try. Very, very simply put, this year was a lot. It was as messy, horrible, and as never-ending as they come. It alone has felt like a million different lifetimes, while simultaneously feeling like it has come & gone in the blink of an eye. No doubt, my words & thoughts will be imperfect at best. 

But twenty twenty was also filled with small silver linings, little wins, and an abundance of things that sparked joy. There were still glimmers of hope. My words will strive to be those small streaks of light in what was a dark and often disorienting year. That is what I want to focus on because there was still so much good to be had during this wild ride of a year.

In twenty years, when I look back at twenty twenty, I hope I remember all those moments of light. The darkness may never be forgotten, but I can only hope that the light, joy, and lessons of this year stand out. Even when it felt like it was nowhere to be found, it was everywhere. 

May we always remember the abundance of kindness and goodness that people showed. It is so often easy to forget, but it is always there. People were loving, kind, & selfless. People rose to the occasion and stood up for what is right. We fought for each other, our cities, our worlds. We fought for each other more this year than ever before - in so many more ways than one. It was truly beautiful watching as we all came together for common good. I hope we never forget that connection to each other and that drive to do what is best for us all.

May we always remember how the small, common, everyday things are really the big, important things. The hugs, the laughter of strangers on the street, being belly up to a bar with a good drink and an even better friend, taking in the view out the window 30,000 feet above the world, a baseball game on a hot summer's night...the list goes on and on. 

All of these things add up and make for a very full life. The truth is those little things have always mattered the most. May we never again take them for granted. 

May we always remember that life is fleeting. Thank you for reminding us to never forget that. And to never wait - for the right moment, the perfect circumstances, or for later. Later is never guaranteed. Live the life you want to live, do the things you want to do, love the people you want to love. The time is now, it always has been.

If we didn't already realize that, it is abundantly clear now. Thank you for that wake up call. 

May we always remember we are strong, we are resilient, and we are tough. If we can take on everything that this past year threw at us - the uncertainty, the turbulence, the heartbreak - then we can take on anything. No battle, no hardship, and no heartache is too much. We will always make our way through. We have to. May each new day always serve as a reminder that no matter how dark the night is, the sun will always rise again. 

Do I wish this year had been different? Of course. Do I wish I was writing a different post to end the year? Absolutely. Do I still yearn for our lives before covid? I'd be lying if I said no. But this is where we are, and so, we get to choose what we take from the past 365 days and we decide how we want to move forward. 

The year may have taken a lot from us, but I do believe what it gave us is equal to or greater than what it took. And so, this is how I'm choosing to remember 2020 - with a whole lot of gratitude for what we have gained from it. It is so important to view hardships through a lens of gratitude. We are better because of this year. I believe that with my entire heart & I am eternally grateful. 

Farewell 2020. May we never forget you, but may we move forward better, kinder, and with a fresh perspective on life.

Cheers to the clean slates & new beginnings that come with January One. 

xo. G