Its been a while since my last post–perhaps too long. My first term as a PhD student was successfully wrapped up. I thought it became a bit busy toward the end. My next term is promising to become even busier as I am trying to complete program requirements during my first year so that I can have more contiguous time later for dissertation work. I find myself wondering how much sleep I will lose over the next ten weeks. But it is only ten weeks and the goal is very much worth the effort.
I have watched in astonishment as so many people in various media outlets suggest that 2020 should be wiped from personal, if not also collective memory. This is not how my parents, aunts, uncles, and grand parents taught me to handle adversity and loss. Yes, some terribly difficult scenarios played out, of which I am no stranger. I offer my sympathy and empathy for those who have suffered loss. Suffering and grief is part of humanity and needs our compassion.
Yet joy and celebration are also part of humanity. Good events often take place in the same contexts as those which cause suffering and grief, though they are eclipsed and require a bit more effort to discern. If we throw out 2020, we not only throw out all the suffering that took place, we throw out all of the joy that occurred. Moreover, we are telling ourselves that we are unwilling to embrace the lessons and growth–things that make us better humans–that come through both the suffering and joys.
I encourage each of you to look back on 2020 with a different viewpoint. It is easy for us to focus only upon the adversity, so we must scrutinize the past year and look for the joy. I am certain it is there just waiting to be found.
In spite of all the adversity that took place in 2020, I declare last year to be a good year. It is a choice that I am making in my personal outlook. For 2021, I am choosing to do the same, to positively examine what takes place in my life, assess it for the lessons which will cause me to grow, and forge ahead, whether adverse or joyous. If I grow as a person–and it is certain I will–2021 will also be a good year. Will you join me?