2020: Very bad. Would not recommend. That's the general consensus on this crazy year.
Has 2020 been a really rough year? Definitely. Is it the worst year of my life? No. I have had more difficult years. As this year comes to a close, I find myself hoping for a better 2021 but also thankful for the gifts that 2020 has given my family.
I have been in quarantine since March 13th. I have only left my house to go to the doctor during this time. No visits to extended family or friends. No eating out. No quick trips to the store. No haircuts. No going to school. It gets frustrating and sometimes I feel really isolated. Working from home while all my colleagues are in the building has many challenges. Distance learning is its own beast. But I am blessed to have the ability to still work at the job I love and protect myself from this crazy virus which would be a likely death sentence for me. I am also blessed to have more time with my family and their unwavering support.
Some day I will tell you the entire story about how I left my job of 10 years, could not find a new job for more than a year, then found a job 1000 miles away from home. For now all you need to know is that last year was one of the most difficult years of my life. I learned the hard way that relocating with custody agreements is not for the faint of heart. I also learned that 1 year can change everything.
After a year of "commuting" between work and home, quarantine came at the time when I was starting to get worn down. I welcomed the opportunity to stay in one place and be surrounded by family. This year has been about rebuilding, taking care of ourselves, quality time, and reflection. The time apart made us all appreciate each other more because we had the time to missed and be missed. Quarantine has given us the opportunity to act on that appreciation.
Are we perfect? Absolutely not. We still get on each other's nerves as our large family navigates life in this small house. Family game nights are planned and then put off because we are tired, but we do a better job of making time for each other. The kids still fight over who has to take the dogs out but the dogs are well cared for and forget what a quiet house is like. I sometimes miss not having to fight over the covers at night or the ease of sleeping without an animal in the bed but I always have someone available when I need a hug. Would we go back to the separation? It may not be a choice in the future but for the time I see ahead of us it is not something we have to worry about.
Maybe the best gift from 2020 is that I am actually enjoying the holiday season. No worries about where we have to be and when or how to fit in a million social engagements has made all of the difference in the world. Thanksgiving was relaxed and stress free. Christmas shopping is a little more difficult because no one really wants anything this year but I get to focus on gifts with meaning rather than filling a wish list or taking care of an endless list of things everyone needs. No stress over a long list of holiday preparations. No pressure to entertain. The irritation from being sleep deprived and feeling like a "perfect" Christmas is out of reach? Gone. I would not have even known how to make these changes in a "normal" year but I plan to keep them when normal returns.
