The End is Near

Let us all take a moment to take in one big breath of relief. Ready? Inhale. And exhale. We are less than a month away from ending this, how I say, an absolute tremulous shit show of a year that is 2020. Yes, come January 1, 2021, the coronavirus will not magically disappear but enjoy the small victory that is making it through this year.

With Christmas nearing upon us, we must get ready with the delicious smell of Christmas cookies being baked, decorations covering every inch of the house (inside and out), go pick up last-minute gifts, hear Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" be played for the 100th time in 3 hours and have cuddle season with a warm blanket, a roasting fire, and the latest Hallmark holiday movie on TV. Yes, Christmas is truly the most joyous time of the year.

For many of us, the holiday season, especially Christmas, the same spirit perpetuated to have us full with glee does the opposite. And this isn't with the fact that there is still a raging pandemic going on. Holiday depression and sadness can set in for some of us. That can be because someone we love didn't make it through the whole year. Or you can be single and seeing everyone's holiday couple photos have you feeling lonely. And if you're away from family and friends, traveling can become difficult.

But this time can also be used to reach out to those we have not talked to only this year but in years past. Add to your Christmas list you want togetherness. It's on mine. A simple call or text goes a long way. Just check in on your friends and family's mental health. As well as reach out to some people, you haven't talked to in a while to see how they are doing. Let them know how much they mean to you. It has been a difficult year for all of us.

In regards to 2020, this year took a lot out of everyone and has left us on all fours crawling through the finish line. It has been an exhausting fight to make it through the end of the year, with faith looking very bleak. We had to deal with Australian bushfires and the tragic death of Kobe Bryant back in January, killer hornets entering the United States, the senseless police killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, and the acts of violence against peaceful protestors and social injustice that they are still suffering from.

The month of August showed no sign of slowing down with devastating news. An explosion in Beirut erupted, killing at least 190 people, wildfires across California and Oregon destroyed millions of acres. Chadwick Boseman shockingly passed away, along with Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Eddie Van Halen in the months that followed. And to top it all off, we are in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Usually, at the end of these blogs, I would come up with an inspiring and cliché saying to get all of us through this, but I don't know really what to say right now. I am beaten up and tired. The coronavirus is the worst thing we have all experienced this year and probably in our lifetime. If you're like me, the pandemic made you lose your job or business, and looking for another one has been very hard for you. All of our future travel plans had to be canceled, sports postponing their seasons and not knowing when they will come back, concerts and events being canceled.

High school seniors missed out on all the end of the year activities they were looking forward to, such as senior picnic and prom, they didn't get to play out their final sports season, and along with college seniors, they got their moment to walk across the graduation stage stolen from them. You might have a friend or family member who had the virus or died from it. Or you yourself contacted the virus, and it had you scared about how it was going to affect you and others around you.

Yes, 2020 brought us a lot of doubt. And not everything will go back to normal on New Years Day 2021. Ok, let me try to end this on a positive note. The best thing we can do to ring in the new year is hope. It is the one thing that we can rely on in this crazy filled world. Stay hopeful that we will all be around each other again. That we will experience eating inside restaurants and going to parties, events, and travel again. Stay hopeful that we will all make it out of this healthier than before. The bad times don't last forever. Just grasp onto hope, and we'll be ok. Until that day comes, check in on your friends and family members, stay safe, stay distant, and wear a mask.