It's the famous final scene
Think in terms of bridges burned Think of seasons that must end See the rivers rise and fall They will rise and fall again Everything must have an end Like an ocean to a shore Like a river to a stream It's the famous final scene
2020...what a year. It began with high hopes. Those hopes were shattered before spring. Now as we head into the depths of winter, we wonder when we'll get back to normal. We wonder if we'll get back to normal. We wonder what that new normal will look like.
For many of us, 2020 was a year of inconvenience. Our lives were put on hold. We were bunkered inside our homes. Your life became virtual. Zoom was the way you worked, educated your children, and hooked up with your family and friends. Meals and groceries were delivered. Vacations and events were postponed or canceled. If that describes you and your life, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Obviously, it could be worse. Just take a quick look around you.
More than nineteen million of our fellow citizens tested positives for Covid-19. Three hundred-thirty-six thousand of them died. Many of them were alone when they took their final breath. Their families will be grieving for generations.
Millions of Americans lost jobs and have suffered a financial disaster. People who were secure in March are now scared they soon won't have a home. They're scared they won't be able to feed their family. It's a horrible way to live. The gap between the haves and the have-nots in America keeps growing wider.
And yet, for many of us, we have things for which we are thankful.
I have a new grandchild. Every time I see his smile, it makes me smile. A baby warms my heart and gives me hope for the future.
We elected a new President. Hopefully, that will mean sanity returns to the White House and Twitter. A lot less breaking news?
I also usually spend a few minutes at the end of the year talking about this blog and its future. Readership was unexpectedly up almost twenty-five percent over the past couple of years. Almost two-thousand people read something I wrote each week. I can't explain why, but I'm grateful for everyone that took a few minutes to take a peek at what I had on my mind. I never take it for granted. Thanks to all of you. As for the future of the "Hippy Shakes", I certainly look forward to never writing about Donald Trump again after January 20. Everything after that is a bonus. I guess like everything else in life, this blog is day-to-day.
2021 is around the corner. It's an opportunity for a fresh start. It's a time for optimism. We know better times are near. They have to be. So long to 2020. We hope to never see your kind again.
Like a guest who stayed too long Now it's finally time to leave Yes, it's finally time to leave Take it calmly and serene It's the famous final scene
*Lyrics from 'The Famous Final Scene" by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
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