The year 2021 is here but we can’t expect it to be better without buckling down and working hard to turn our collective misfortunes around.
It’s official. The year 2020 is over and done. It’s a new year. I’m sure many people toasted it out the door, with some equivalent of “good riddance and God speed” on their lips. 2020 was a hell of a year, to say the least.
The year 2021, however, is not a magic bullet. As happy and hopeful as I am to see the new year ushered in, it isn’t going to fix all the wrong that 2020 brought to light. We can’t wave a magic wand and suddenly Covid is gone, the systems free of racism, and the murder hornets no longer exist. (Of course there were murder hornets in 2020. Why wouldn’t there be murder hornets?)
We can absolutely have a better year in 2021. Hope should be welcome here. We will, however, have to work for it to be better. If we want roses, we need to plant the seeds. We’ll need to nurture them, make sure they have enough sun and water.
Of course, we also can’t forget to have patience. Plants don’t spring up and blossom overnight. We need to put in the work. Even if it’s hard. Maybe especially if it’s hard. And even if we can’t be sure we’ll see the garden bloom.
It’s 2021, a brand new year. We still need to wear our masks and follow restrictions until the Covid vaccine is widely spread. We need to remember that Black Lives Matter, even when a new, democratic president is inaugurated. Also, we need to be kind to one another and manifest good by doing good. Let’s plant roses, friends. Here’s to a better year and a better world.
