2020 is Over — Memories Aren’t

While we reach the end of March 2021, people continue to post on social media about their achievements and accomplishments in 2020 despite the pandemic.

We have these kinds of people in our lives — they brag about how they were able to focus and were determined enough to accomplish their goals and get lean and fit despite of the coronavirus. Anything less would mean that the rest of us fell short of being as disciplined and strong as them.

Let’s get one thing straight — it was a pandemic. It was a healthcare crisis that took away millions of lives and destroyed millions more. It was a healthcare crisis that destroyed the economy, prevented families from meeting up for months, and it frankly gave world leaders an extremely tough job. The race for vaccines, the changes in public policies, the lockdowns — everything changed and nothing is gonna go back to pre-pandemic normality. On top of everything else, it was a mental health crisis — the lockdowns, staying at home for months at end, the constant fear of the virus, the lack of social interaction, people not having their normal coping mechanisms etc. So, forget about what your neighbour’s biggest achievement was. If your proudest moment was waking up and turning up for other people, you’re braver than most people ever would be.

While 2020 may be over, the memories certainly aren’t gone. Vaccine rollouts are sparking optimism, but we shouldn’t forget who we’ve lost — and all of us lost a bit of ourselves back in 2020.