What did we learn in 2020 and what does it mean?

December 31, 2020

Fragility. The world we thought we understood and the rules we believed we played by can be rewritten in a moment’s notice.
So: No relationship, opportunity, hope or dream should ever be taken for granted. Nothing is owed to us and everything we have is precious. Appreciation of all things, both small and big, must be etched into all of our minds and hearts for 2021 and beyond.
Disparity. 2020 accelerated the imbalance between those who have the means for education, healthcare, opportunity and the self-esteem that goes with knowing that you are contributing and participating fairly in society, and those who can no longer keep up. The horrible reality of Covid-19 is that it has disproportionately harmed those who can least afford to be set back. This additional adversity is due to no fault of those most affected.
So: The response from those who are more fortunate and the government must be to err on the side of generosity to help everyone through this difficult period and allow for a fair and reasonable re-entry for all into the post-COVID-19 economy. This will require generosity from individuals, corporations and organizations in addition to both sides of the political aisle coming together to help use our nation’s vast wealth to most efficiently provide the right safety net that defines a civilized society.
Priorities. This year we learned that many of the things that we always thought were so important, in actuality don’t really matter. More importantly, what truly matters in life has never been more clear.
So: Going forward, relationships with the quality people who truly matter to you should supersede all of the nonsense and “fluff” that may have seemed so important or “cool” historically. Who you are with is much more important than where you are, who sees you there and what you are actually doing. Quality time with real discussion, connection and bonding together to do things that will truly help make a difference for others is a privilege to be enjoyed, not an obligation.
Fun. We now all know what it is like to take the entire category of “fun” and set it aside for nine months. Bottom line, it is sad. The good news is that we know we can do it. The even better good news is that thanks to our amazing scientists, there is now a path to the other side and we can almost taste it.
So: There is going to be a massive and collective explosion of good will, camaraderie, joyfulness and fun when the risk disappears. It will be amazing and one day, there will probably be a wonderful name for this post-COVID-19 period that people will look back on with fondness that borders on jealousy. We cannot prematurely celebrate and have fun until the risk has passed because we don’t want anyone to miss this party.
Science. Speaking of the pain ceasing and the party starting, we have one discipline to thank more than any others: the medical profession. The wonderous medical professionals who developed the vaccines and therapeutics and are figuring out ways to mass produce, fill and finish, and ultimately distribute/administer them are true heroes. The front line medical professionals who have personally risked their lives to help others survive are superheroes.
So: Every one of us will need to make sure we properly show our thanks and appreciation for those who have done so much so that our lives as we knew them can return. Medical Research Universities, Hospitals, and front line workers deserve our philanthropy, emotional, physical and financial support, and heartfelt appreciation. Science will give us this victory and science requires investment and appreciation. Science is nothing without the amazing people behind it.
Personal Health. We now all know what the term comorbidity means. For many, there is no choice because genetics have dictated certain illnesses that we now more fully understand can have a direct affect on the number of days you have on this earth. But for all of us with or without comorbidities, there are things we can proactively do to help ourselves.
So: We all must realize that a healthy diet, regular exercise, routine doctors visits and protecting your mental health are all vital to a better life whether there is a pandemic around us or the world has settled back to some degree of normal. This experience must teach us that we do have the ability to increase our quality and quantity of life and it is up to each of us to proactively take responsibility for our own bodies.
Inequality. Not that there was ever an excuse to be oblivious to it, but 2020 has made it crystal clear that we still live in a world where people are persecuted because of their race, color, religion, gender and sexual orientation. We all saw this graphically and in a manner that must indelibly leave a mark on every one of us.
So: Each of us must join the fight for equality, fairness, and inclusion. This cannot be the responsibility of the few and swept aside by those not directly affected. The reality is that every one of us is affected. If we cannot embrace, empower and enjoy each other, there can be no success as a society. To rectify this will require honesty, action, resources, accountability, and transparency. How dare us not embrace this and make equality one of the positive results from this horrible virus.
Elders. This disease put our oldest generation at the most risk and many have lost treasured loved ones. Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles are easily taken for granted and forgotten. The fact that we cannot hug our treasured loved ones now or even sit at an indoor dining room table with them in itself defines the tragedy of 2020.
So: We now know that personal visits and “time spent” with the elder generation are scarce gifts and not obligations that can be checked off the “to do” list. We have all been robbed of quality time with our loved ones these past 9 months and this will continue into 2021. The elders have had even more stolen from them because their time is more limited and thus valuable. We will all have a lot to make up for once this is done and none of us should waste an unnecessary moment.
Urgency. If we are aware of anything from 2020, it must be how much time we have wasted in our lives. In many ways, having this year mostly on pause has highlighted all the things that we “could have done but didn’t.” The reality is that every year prior was probably not that much different. We all procrastinate, get distracted from what is important, and create a plethora of excuses to justify why we didn’t do what could have gotten done. This year only served to hold the magnifying glass up to a problem that existed far before we ever heard the word COVID-19.
So: Do I even need to spell it out? The world is going to return to some degree of normalcy in 2021. Are we really going to wait until that day to get going? Is it better to launch from a standing start or a running start? We may not be able to do all we want today while we are in the thick of the pandemic, but we certainly can prepare all of our plans, strategies and objectives today. Even in the midst of this pandemic there is preparation and legwork we can do so that like a coiled spring, once the skies open and the world is available, we can pounce ahead and advance to where each of us want and deserve to go. This work can start today.
Mortality. It is not often that everyone on the planet contemplates their own mortality at the same time. The fact that this is a novel disease and we knew nothing about it when it hit (or how to treat it) meant great uncertainty in the minds of every person old enough to comprehend the magnitude of the new reality. To make matters even worse, the manner of ultimate death for those so unfortunate is beyond imaginable as you are whisked away and left to find peace in isolation from those you love. It does not get any worse.
So: This must result in a collective wake up call to all of humanity about how precious life is and how thankful we each must be for every waking moment. Going forward it is like each of us has been given a second chance to appreciate how much we love one another, how special nature and our planet is, how kindness and humanity must win and how we must do everything possible to protect and maximize our individual and collective legacies on this planet. For the vast many of us who will have made it to the other side of this pandemic, we owe it to those who didn’t make, our fellow survivors, and to ourselves to live every day to the very best of our abilities.

2020 is about to be in the history books. Instead of wishing it never happened and blocking it from our memories, let’s do the opposite. Let’s embrace the year and internalize all we have just experienced and allow ourselves to learn from both the good and bad of our recent reality. 2021 will start off with a continuation of the challenges but will morph into a once in a lifetime opportunity to optimistically make the most of all we have experienced and learned. It is up to all of us to make the most of this second chance and my money is on the quality and nature of all of us as we work together to make the world a better place.

Wishing all a happier and healthier New Year,

Rich