Lessons from the Year 2021
This
is the time of year that I pause and take stock of the year that has been,
everything I’ve lived through, the lessons I’ve learned. Here then are the
lessons from 2021.
Lessons from the Year 2021
-I
was horrified by the Insurrection that happened at the U.S. Capitol.
There is an inquiry in Congress into the events of that day. Countless
individuals have been tried, found guilty, and have been imprisoned for taking
part in that event. However, there are also several arrest warrants that have
been written. As the anniversary loomed on the horizon, I was fearful of what
could happen. God bless the Capitol
Police that risked their lives to save others in the attack. God bless the
officers who gave their lives that day.
-One
Year Later the world was ready to be over
the Coronavirus, and to get back to normal, if that even exists anymore. Now it's almost two years later. When I
wrote that piece, we had just reached over 500,000 dead from Covid in the U.S.
Now the U.S. had one million cases in one day, and is now at 836,000+ deaths. Hospitals again
are stretched to the limit. Millions of essential workers and families are as
well. Over 140,000 children have lost a caregiver because of Covid.
Their lives will never be the same. The world will never be the same. The state I live in is now reporting record Covid cases daily-the highest, last week, came in at 15,000 new cases.
-There
has been a Racial Reckoning in the United States, and in the world. In
the early days of the pandemic the murder of George Floyd created a resurgence
in the Black Lives Matter movement. Many Americans-many white Americans-then
began to search their souls and further educate themselves on how the U.S. was
actually built: from the blood, sweat, and tears from black and brown people.
In recent months, there has been a new awareness of material that was once
deemed innocuous that is now inherently racist, such as material written by Dr.
Seuss, and episodes of the Muppet Show. The time has come to look at this
material with new eyes, with greater sensitivity and awareness. The work should
be seen, for those that want to see it, to see the offense and learn from it.
We have come so far as a nation, as a species, but we’ve got so far to go.
-I
can’t believe that A Decade has gone by since I launched my first blog.
Before doing so, I handful of friends that I trusted my writing with. I was
insecure as a writer, and created the blog, and my pen name, to branch out into
the writing world. Since then, I created this blog in 2012, began my own
publishing company in 2013, and published my first book in 2015. I have since
published eight books to date. None of that would have happened without making
a leap of faith. My life would be dramatically different without those people
coming into my life. I am forever grateful.
--For
months I had a Disconnect in my life without even knowing it. Little
things in my life were passing me by, without my even being aware of it. I
believe it’s a side effect of having gone through a global pandemic. When
looking back on events of the past two years, the days and months blur
together. We lived through it, and we did what we had to do. We have been so
traumatized by this pandemic; it’s no wonder that our brains have gone a bit
haywire from time to time. Now that I am aware of the disconnect, I can stay
connected, engaged, and stay in the moment. Of course, we all need times of
rest and relaxation and disconnection, if for no other reason than our sanity.
We all benefit from times of disconnection, so long as it doesn’t become
habitual and debilitating. My disconnect is now at my command, at my directive.
I can turn it off and on at will. When I am disconnected for a day it’s because
I chose to be. The next day, the connection is back. As it should be.
-For
months now I have been Masked and Vaxxed. For most of the first year of
the pandemic, no vaccines were available to fight Covid-19. What was once a
completely foreign concept-wearing a face mask-has become a daily fashion accessory.
I received my first Covid vaccination in the month of April. After that, there
was a dip in the number of cases, and the city and state did not require face
masks anymore. Some people took of their masks and went back to life as normal.
I never stopped wearing a face mask. There was a new variant on the rise at
that time, the Delta variant. With the rise in cases, my employer put a mask
mandate into place again. I received my second Covid vaccination in late May.
Since then, there is a new, much more contagious variant-the Omicron variant.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) now encourage a third vaccination, a
booster shot if you will, as well as the yearly flu vaccine. I got my booster
Covid shot and flu vaccination on the same day. With each vaccination cycle I
had a mild virus response, nothing to make note of. I’m thankful to have gotten
one vaccination for Covid, let alone three. As of now I am happy to report that
I am masked and vaxxed and boosted.
-This
year I have done Something New in that I have taken over for my boss at
work, who is out on medical leave. In doing so, I have done countless things
that are new. When thinking of a supervisor role, it was never something I
wanted to do. I guess a small part of me thought I wouldn’t be good enough to
do the job. Having done the job for the last six months, I know that I am more
than good enough to do the job. This entire time I thought I wouldn’t have the
skills to do the job. Now, having done the job for the last six months, I heave
learned that I am, in fact, overqualified. I would never have known that, and
never would have learned all I have learned, had I not tried something new.
-I
never thought that two geese would be my Saving Grace. That’s one of
those moments where you immediately stop and take pause and thank the good Lord
above that the unthinkable didn’t happen.
-I
am a person that loves art, and the work of certain artists. Not all artwork
speaks to me. However, two of my favorites are by Vincent Van Gogh. I
went to the Van Gogh Experience this year at my local art museum. It was unlike
any exhibit I have ever seen. It was a transformative experience. It makes me
wonder what an experience would be for other art that I love.
-I
had Big News to share this year, the publishing of my eighth book, “Look
to the Light.” I didn’t publish last year, the first year of the pandemic. It
was more important to me to get the book published this year. I don’t make any
money publishing my books, I do it for the love of the project. I knew I had it
in me. I knew I had to get it done. Now that I’ve published it, it was worth the
wait.
-I am the self-appointed Queen of Christmas. I have rituals to my Christmastime, which begins the week of Halloween. I put up my Christmas tree on Halloween. I write and send out my Christmas cards on Thanksgiving. Then, if I haven’t started already, I begin to decorate my home for the holidays. I then begin watching beloved Christmas specials in my spare time. The Rankin/Bass productions are favorites of mine, which include “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”, “Frosty the Snowman”, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, “The Year Without a Santa Claus”, and more.
I also begin watching beloved Muppet Christmas productions, from both the Muppets and Sesame Street. Favorites include “A Muppet Family Christmas”, “Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas”, “The Christmas Toy”, “It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie”, and more.
Christmas is the most beloved time of year for me. The fact that my favorite singer, George Michael, died on Christmas, makes it bittersweet. 2021 marks the fifth anniversary of his passing. Two years ago, George’s sister Melanie also died on Christmas Day. It’s such a sad time for the Panayiotou family (George Michael was born into the world as Yorgos Panayiotou.)
Again,
I am the Queen of Christmas. I will celebrate the holiday as I see fit. I will
put up my Christmas tree, and take it down, as I see fit. My decisions are mine
to make and are not up for scrutiny or discussion. I won’t ever let anyone
judge me for what I choose to do with my life, much less a workman in my home.
Looking back on the year that has been, I marvel at all I have learned, and all the changes I have gone through. They have been life altering changes, all of which were for the better.
I am not the same person that I was a year ago. Pandemic notwithstanding, none of us are the same. The world has changed, and we have changed along with it.
At this point in a global pandemic, I am grateful to be alive, grateful to have a job, a roof over my head, money in the bank, food in my refrigerator, and vaccines in my body.
At this point in the pandemic, it seems to not be a question of if but when. Of course, I could have already had Covid and not known it. The mantras of these times is "Keep Calm and Carry On", and "Hang in There." Even if it's by your fingernails.
As for the new year, I look forward to the limitless possibilities that await me, the country, the world, and all of the lessons I am to learn.
Cheers to the year that has been. Cheers to a great 2022. I wish you love, health, peace, and happiness.
-Esperanza
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