It’s time to say goodbye to year 2020 and welcome year 2021.
2020 was not easy for all of us. It was a trying year, a very unforgettable year for all of us. So many things had happen , and I guess the highlight is the pandemic.
I know there are so many other things that we’ve experienced in 2020, events that made us sad and uncertain. There are so many uncertainty in life and it made us realized that life is short. Maybe we’ve experience grief from loosing someone, deep sadness or pain. Others might have gone through sickness, hardship and failures.
We’ve gone through trials and problems but we’re able to stand and continue on with our lives. Those moments of hardships and pain made us stronger to face another step in our life’s journey.
Who will forget 2020, the year that changes everything. Pandemic brought so many changes in everybody’s life no matter where you are, what race you are or what age you are.
The words covid-19, lockdown, toilet paper, social distance, mask, face shield, sanitizer, gloves, self-isolation, quarantine, symptomatic and flattening the curve became words that everybody speaks and know of. And working from home became the new norm for most people.
Schools were cancelled, most businesses were close and people cannot gather together aside from whom you live with. Even places of worship were close. And we have to deal with wearing face mask wherever we go publicly. All of us were advised to wash our hands regularly. Public places were not accessible and people and businesses were mandated by the government. All of us were ask to stay at home to be safe and to flatten the curve. And to lessen the spread of virus.
Through this pandemic ,some people experience loneliness from being not able to connect with others personally. And others feel more scared from an unseen enemy, the virus.
For my own experience and my family, staying home is hard, and even harder to my kids. Learning online is hard, I think they only learn a bit if its done online. My kids were so bored at home and sad that they’re missing their friends. But I’ve realized and appreciate more about our teachers, the hardwork that they do. I salute all our kids teacher.
I came to realized the importance of church, bible studies, church gatherings and Sunday school. I appreciate more and more the work of our Pastors, Sunday School teachers and church leaders. I think our kids bible learning are mostly from Sunday School, but then when the churches closed they got less learning. Parents have to teach kids about bible and spiritual matters.
Our learning and listening from the Bible and physically attending church was lessen. But thanks to technology that we can connect and study together, pray together virtually.
Bible study group and church gathering is really important. It makes ones faith stronger, and help a person to be encourage to move on. I’ve realized the importance of family devotion. Reading the bible and praying together as a family, makes you stronger, and it builds stronger family connection.
My son had to experience to have a swab test because of his runny nose. But thanks God, it was negative and he was able to go back to school.
This pandemic made me realized so much in life, anything here is not secure. Everything can change, and the only certain is God, the love of God.
Though lots of hardship was brought to us by covid-19, I think there were somethings that are positive and that we can learn from it.
- It increased our family time together. Families get stronger connection and stay home and do things together.
- People find self-improvement and learn new skills through online learning.
- With so many free time, people find more time to read books.
- Some people discovered new hobbies and found time to do things that been wanting to do for a long time.
- I think there were environmental benefits too, with less cars running, and most factories close or hours cut, our air gets cleaner.
- More people get healthier I think, they found time to exercise, walk or ride a bike.
- People showed care and love to others, even virtually or a drive by greeting to someone. We got more in touch with our family and friend.
- We got more time of realization, and reconstruction of our lives. To focus more on what’s important.
I believe everyone of us will never forget what pandemic has brought to us. And everyone must have learned something from this. You might have other positive things that you got during pandemic .
I know whatever life brought us, there is something to be learned from it. And even there are hardships and dark times in life, there is always a light. There is always hope. God is always there. And God is always with us.
So whatever we’ve experienced in 2020, may it be due to pandemic or not. Maybe other event in life that crushed you, sickness, pain, hardship, or failure, those were lessons that made you stronger, stronger to take the next step in life.
As we lookback, let’s all have a heart of thanksgiving to God, because He brought us through hard times.
