Once upon a time, on December 30, 2019, specifically, my daughter and I were living our best life on vacation in Dubai. We had planned the trip for months. The goal was to end 2019, a year full of overcoming cancer, in a dream location. We also wanted to usher in the new year, 2020, with fireworks to kick off our yearlong milestone birthday year. In March 2020, Naomi, my daughter, turned 30 years old, and I was grateful to be turning 50 years old in August 2020.
Dubai was the trip of a lifetime, and it didn’t disappoint. I shared a few of the pictures of our adventures in the graphic above. During our trip, we created both individual and joint travel vision boards. Hence the image of a passport above. Naomi and I declare 2020 as the year of travel and visiting places we’ve always wanted to see. Every month of 2020, we had destinations planned; domestic and international. Kicking the year off in Dubai, Japan in March, Guam, where my son-Naomi’s brother is deployed, in December with a few states and tropical islands mixed in between.
None of our travel plans materialized due to the pandemic, COVID-19 that has ravished the globe. At various points in time, all air travel had ceased. Dining indoors has been all but eliminated or drastically reduced in my area of the Washington DC metropolitan. I haven’t been inside a grocery store since March 2020. I am a cancer warrior and an asthmatic. The mere thought of catching this potentially deadly virus has dramatically impacted my movement.
I refuse to believe that I am alone in revising my life and reassessing goals on the fly. I had a different plan but join me on this impromptu, unplanned journey back into 2020 with hopes for an improved 2021 ahead. I had to let go of what I wanted and initially dreamed of embracing the gems of the reality of 2020.
Relationships – The pandemic has shined a glaring light on the importance of family, friendships, and looking out for our neighbors. The need for community and support systems have been prevalent. Our frontline workers, doctors, nurses, scientists, military, first responders, teachers, clergy, those serving the underserved and underrepresented populations, and so on deserve Nobel Peace Prizes.
As a societal norm, families stayed on the go. The children have school and various activities and sports they enjoy. To maintain a life balance, parents often have relationships and activities they find joy and fulfillment. Families emotionally and mentally stretched with work and school co-located in the home.
Relationships have been tested and proven. Relationships tested and confirmed that they would continue to withstand the test of time or the reverse. Demonstrated that the relationship has far too many frays to fix and needs to be released. My marital relationship fell in the latter category. I began 2020 married and ended 2020 divorced.
Humanity – The norm took a backseat to meet Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs for most Americans. I can only speak for the United States because this is my experience. We’ve had to ban together to help one another. Help strangers, people we may never meet in person or know their names. Individuals and groups have launched non-profit organizations to support first responders working around the clock. They provide childcare for first responders because local daycares and schools are closed to ensure faculty and students’ health.
My daughter works a few jobs and lost all of them during the onset of the pandemic. She had so many challenges with unemployment that we had to provide some support until she could find another job. She now works a few jobs again, two of which she interacts with the general public.
The senior pastor of my church contracted COVID-19. He fought the virus for several weeks before fully recovering. His first-hand experience has reinforced his commitment to keeping us as safe as possible during this season of medical uncertainty. We meet virtually. I don’t understand why some places of worship insist on meeting in person. I would love to get your opinions regarding meeting in-person versus virtual worship experiences.
Justice – The under-valuing of black lives represented by the number of deaths at the hands of law enforcement. People of all creeds, colors, religions, sexuality, etc., are banding together to advocate for blacks’ civil and human rights in America.
We pick up the batons left behind in 2020; United States House of Representatives John Robert Lewis, a politician and a civil rights activist and leader. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Hope – Ironically, this impromptu journey back leaves me to hope to get back to our new normal. The pandemic has forced me to look inward and redefine what I need and what is genuinely essential. Love, healthy relationships, the kindness of humanity, and justice for all. I am hopeful I will be able to use my passport in 2021. It costs nothing to hope.
Generally speaking, we are more alike than we are different. Are you optimistic despite COVID-19 or because of COVID-19? Please answer the question in the comments across social media and on the RevGalBlogPals page.
Dr. Lisa T. Lewis, The Belief System (B.S.) BossTM has spent over thirty-one years teaching others how to achieve personal and professional success through her “B.S.” (Belief System) training. A certified John Maxwell Team coach, international speaker, teacher, trainer, and founder of Kick Boxing Believers L.L.C., Ellis specializes in helping clients release their self-limiting belief systems. She is the best-selling author of Making B.S. Boss Moves: The Four R’s to Achieve Success, and The B.S. Boss Blueprint: A Guide to Perpetually Succeed.
RevGalBlogPals encourages you to share our blog posts via email or social media. We do not grant permission to cut-and-paste prayers and articles without a link back. For permission to use the material in paper publications, please email revgalblogpals at Gmail dot com.
RevGalBlogPals 