I’ve been taking this week to really reflect, listen, and learn. There is so much going on in the world right now, and some moments make me swell with pride and others make me want to pull the covers over my head and cry. There have been so many memes and jokes about how hopeful we were going into this year – we all frantically waved goodbye to 2019 and sprinted toward 2020 – only to realize that completely uncharted territory was ahead of us. Goodbye road, hello trail with zero signs and lots of cliff edges?
There has also been a lot of talk about skipping 2020 and heading straight into 2021, and that is because 2020 so far has been upsetting. And I mean that in numerous ways – it has literally been an upset of what we have known and are used to. So far 2020 has challenged us and has been full of fear, sadness, illness, violence, death, natural disasters, and unrest. I understand that people are counting down the days until 2021 and wanting to get back to how their previous lives were. I’ve felt it too. Believe me, I seriously can’t wait to be crammed in a middle seat on an airplane, pay an outrageous price for a beer at a concert, and wait in ridiculously long porta potty lines at events again. However, there is no doubt in my mind that the way things were is not going to be how they will be in the future.
I’ve decided to try and reframe my thinking though. Instead of focusing on all of the awful things, I would like to think of these recent events as necessary evils or as instigators of greater change. When the time has finally come, a phoenix must turn to ashes before it can be reborn. We are at a similar tipping point, whether we wanted to be or not, and I think we have to address how we got here and how we will move forward.
Since the many catastrophic events of 2020 started, I think we all have shifted our focus to what is important like health, friends, family, (and teachers), slowed down our busy lifestyles and frivolous spending, and realized the state of our environmental impact. I feel that we are doing more questioning and listening instead of just talking. I believe we are thinking about changes for ourselves, our communities, our leadership, and our fellow humans. Hopefully we are ruminating about what we truly need (not just want), what makes us fulfilled and healthy, how we can help others, and how we can better our planet. There is no doubt that 2020 is unsettling, but ideally we can channel this discomfort and trepidation and settle into something better.
Change is never easy and some people will always prefer the good old days, but it is inevitable and necessary. Once we see past the flames, the pain, and the chaos, there will be the opportunity for the renewal. The start over. The redirection. We will have to determine what steps we take and even if we want to be on the same road that we started on. After all, there may be new roads to forge – maybe some on grass instead of asphalt and maybe some wide enough to accommodate more people.
I think in 2019 we heard the flapping of the phoenix’s wings approaching and in 2020 we have seen the feathers catch fire. Once the smoldering dissipates, I think we’ll see a new phoenix – it may look similar to the previous one, but I think this phoenix will certainly have a mind of its own, and I have faith that it will be an improvement. For now, feel and see the change. It’s okay to be angry, feel lost, find humor, feel alive, find joy, be uncomfortable, and be curious. But, most importantly, be ready to rise.
