Two thousand twenty was a year of missed memories, missed favorite products and missed special events. We may never get the memories back but hopefully some of our favorite products will be back and we can celebrate events again in-person.
Missed Memories
We all gave up memory making in 2020. Many people lost the vacations they booked months before. State and national parks were closed to picnickers, hikers and campers. Sports facilities were closed so we were unable to watch our children and grandchildren play their favorite games. Weddings and even funerals were postponed or held for a limited amount of people. Many Fourth of July BBQs were cancelled as were family firework displays. High school and college seniors gave up proms and the traditional graduation ceremony full of pomp and circumstance. Drive-bys instead of in-person birthday parties became standard. Children were not allowed to attend school or be with their friends. Adults were laid off from jobs or began working remotely while possibly becoming their child’s homeschool teacher.
Missed Favorite Products
Stores were out of our favorite toilet paper for weeks, if not months, during 2020. For awhile this past summer I could not get lettuce on my burger at Wendy’s. McDonalds stopped serving root beer but worse yet, they didn’t have eggnog shakes during the holidays. Since Celestial Seasonings in Boulder was closed most of the year, I could not get my favorite tea Nutcracker Sweet. Normally, I drink it everyday of the year. I think I had my last cup of Nutcracker Sweet some time in March. Did we ever really know why there was a coin shortage?
Missed Special Events
Many special events were postponed or cancelled this year as mentioned above. Other special events we missed included in-person Sunrise Service at church on Easter, Thanksgiving get togethers as well as Hanukkah and Christmas celebrations. Even giving up in-person weekly Bible study and monthly book club was hard. How many people had concert tickets they didn’t get to use? State and county fairs were modified or cancelled. Online auctions took the place of a thrilling live in-person event.
What’s Ahead in 2021?
While we can’t get the time and memories back we lost in 2020, we can make up for lost time in 2021. With the new vaccines rolling out in December, I believe we can begin to plan for vacations, sporting events, weddings, funerals, BBQs, Bible study, book clubs, proms, graduations, in-person schooling and birthday parties. We have a lot to look forward to. We will once again be able to hold our loved ones close.
For me, I am looking forward to visiting my Mom (87) in person and give her a hug in 2021. She never contracted COVID-19, thank the Lord, even though it was rampant in her nursing home last summer. The isolation was difficult for her but she is a survivor.
We may have lost a lot in 2020 but I think we also gained a lot. We gained the knowledge of what is really important: the memories we make with those we love. What memories will you be making in 2021?
Happy New Year!