Monday, December 28, 2020

Today was the last Monday of 2020… a year that was chocked full of Mondays. A year most of us would agree we are glad is ending.

Friday is a new year, a new beginning.

The year 2020 will stand throughout history as a turning point. It was a pivotal time in history like 1914, 1812, and 1066, infamous years that echo through time. 2020; the time the earth stood still and then lurched ahead in uncertainty and confusion.

The last year feels like it has been a bad disaster movie on repeat. A never-ending presidential election would be the main subplot of the movie. I sure would like to see the movie as a comedy rather than a tragedy.

I know that one year ago today none of us could have predicted the turn our society has taken. An insidious disease of the body has killed thousands of people across our land. At the same time, an equally deadly disease of the mind has taken an even larger toll on our great country. Overdoses and suicides are at all-time highs. The chaos of the Coronaverse has damaged our world like never before.

In BC we sit in the middle of a soft lockdown. Businesses are still open, people can still eat inside restaurants. We were told to limit our social interactions to our immediate households. Strange times in the world today; jokes abound that people should have had their Christmas family gathering in the food court at the mall.

In Alberta and Ontario, they have enacted much more stringent restrictions. The people in Quebec and Manitoba also are on a pretty hard thirty-day lockdown. In Calgary, they march for their freedom, not understanding what is really at stake. I am not sure any of us can truly understand the enormity of what is at stake.

And the vaccine rollout continues.

Today as I walked out the door, I had to go back and grab my mask. A year ago who would have believed the mask would be added to our daily checklist of things not to forget at home.

Now is not the time to relax our guard though. The vaccine is being rolled out. 2021 is around the corner. There is a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. I just hope that light is the sunshine of a bright future. Not the next train-wreck headed our way.

Only three more days and 2020 will be part of history.