For more than seven months now, we haven’t known what tomorrow will bring. In this time of uncertainty, it’s hard to make long-term plans. We wonder if we can plan vacations, birthdays, group activities, and so on. We wonder if we can see certain people. We question our choices about where to go and which places to visit. We pay closer attention to any physical symptoms that might resemble a cold, the flu, or other viruses or infections.
The months go by, one much like the next. How will Halloween celebrations unfold? Will our children be disappointed? And the question that stings even more: Will we be able to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s? How can we get through the holiday season without all our loved ones? Will we have to celebrate Christmas without any gatherings with our extended family? Will we spend our holidays with just our immediate family?
How can we plan for the coming months? The year 2020 is nothing like anything we’ve ever experienced. 2020 is difficult and unpredictable. For some, it’s the worst year of their lives. We’re looking for signs that the storm is winding down and that we’ll soon return to some sense of normalcy.
This situation has led some of us to question our choices—in some cases, our life choices, and in others, our career choices. For some, 2020 has also meant separation. All these events have shattered what may have already been fragile. Relationships have broken down during this period of extreme closeness.
For many of us, this year has also been a time of loss and grief. A loved one was taken by this pandemic, leaving behind the painful memory of a solitary passing—a passing that family members were unable to witness to accompany that loved one on their final journey. These losses will leave a pain that will never fade for those left behind.
I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I hope it will be better. I hope my tomorrow will be warm, joyful, and full of surprises.