The Clarity from seeing 2020

It's March 2021, about 12 months since the reality of a pandemic punched the world in the face and threw us all for a loop.

And we're a couple months out from the end of Trump's turbulent 4 years in office, which included an unthinkable attack on our capital. 

Covid and Trump.  The two defining moments of 2020 are (for the most part) behind us, though I still feel a bit lost in the woods.  It's been 8 months since my last blog entry because there's been so much to process!  Is it too soon to put it all into perspective, and ask if any clarity has come from 2020?  (See what I did there?) 20/20 vision ha

Anyway, I kinda like being lost in the woods, especially when I find a treehouse with a laptop, so let's get started. (I'm actually typing away in "Trasea's Tranquil Treehouse" room at my Mom's house in Delaware, aptly named, "Penny's Peaceful Paradise.")  

So I  think I'll focus on what I'm grateful for, and see where I end up.  All the good things that would not have happened, if not for Covid.  (Don't get me wrong, Covid sucks.  But nothing wrong with looking for that silver lining, right?)

Concentrated timelessness spent with my pandemic pod.

After being empty-nested, it's always nice when your grown children come home to stay a while.  My oldest spent a couple months working from our home in spring.  My youngest spent a couple months working at home in autumn.  It was nice to feel like a 'Mom' again, but not have to wake up early to pack lunches.  :) We just eased into the morning, not knowing what day it was, drinking coffee and tea until sunset, and then switching to decaf.  Dominic helped me with video, and Alex helped me with audio, for the next thing I'm grateful for...

The "Covid Creativity" from having more time on my hands.  

Most of you know that means my You Tube videos.  Prior to 2020, I only had one video on my channel, and now I have 17!  But I'm not sure it would have happened, had I not been inspired by another YouTuber who sparked me with one of his music videos.  True serendipity!  He gave me some advice, lightning struck, and boom... my first parody, about dealing with Covid. I  took Des'Ree's "Gotta Be" and turned it into "Gotta Be Elbow Bumping."  (Now that seems far away, doesn't it?  The 6 foot distance rule soon replaced the elbow bump.)  I thought I was done, but then I had another idea... and another... and another.  Even now after 17 videos, I can't imagine what my next one will be about. (It's much more fun than organizing closets... but I had time to do that too!)

A feeling of unity among all earthlings; we're all in this together.  

As Australians and wild animals were battling out of control fires (their Black Summer) most of us felt compassion and prayed, but we weren't 'feeling the heat.'  But by March 2020, the entire world experienced the wildfire of Covid, as it spread to every country.  I don't know about you, but this was a visceral experience for me, as I felt the entire world shrink down into my own little tribe; everyone was friends and family.  People speak of the interconnectedness of everything, and the kinship of all life... but now, everything that separated and divided us didn't matter.  We were all earthlings doing our best to survive, and help others survive.   

Unplugged from the rat race, time to think about what truly matters.

The rat race slowed down, and in April it came to a complete halt.  With the exception of health care and essential service workers, we all had time to stop and smell the roses.  To be still, meditate, pray, connect with God, nature, and contemplate why we are here, what all of this means, and how we can make the world better for future generations... even though the future was uncertain.  I talked to a few friends who thought it was the end of the world.  It sure felt like it sometimes.  Nothing like a good sky-falling to make us all look up, and look within.

Covid raised awareness for zoonotic diseases and climate change.

As everyone sought to understand what caused this once in a lifetime pandemic, we learned about bats, wet markets, and the negative impact factory farms have upon the natural world.  Animal agriculture accounts for some of the largest sources of greenhouse gases, and the crowded and filthy living conditions of animals cause great suffering to them, and put us at risk for disease.  Many are switching to plant based food to combat both disease and climate change. (I'm going on 2 years as a vegan and LOVING it!) Check out my blog here about my "Plate Awakening" if you're interested.  

Trump raised awareness for Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

Being at the forefront of the news, we all got a good long look at the most unusual POTUS the world has ever seen.  No president has ever caused so much confusion and division, and fostered a conspiracy theory that radicalized a section of the GOP.  Regardless of your opinion about Donald Trump, his controversial personality raised questions about whether he was fit for the office of president.  His psychologist niece (Mary Trump) and other mental health professionals analyze his behavior in Amazon Prime's UNFIT, The Psychology of Donald Trump" which I watched and highly recommend.  I didn't get caught up in his 'cult of personality' like some did, but I understand how it happened. The more you learn about NPD, the more you understand why some people are attracted to the charms of narcissists, and others are repulsed.  2020 gave us a lot of extra time to research, and where there is an absence of information, our brains are hardwired to fill it with something.  Nature abhors a vacuum, right?  Trump kept us all guessing, and it's my take that whatever you filled the gaps with was a determining factor in whether you supported him or not.  The more we learn about NPD, the more we are able to identify the red flags and protect ourselves from being hoodwinked, gaslighted, and all the other toxic crazy-making.  

So those are my pixels of positivity.  Maybe I'll think of more, but for now, it's time to retreat into "Sophia's Serene Sanctuary"... another room in "Penny's Peaceful Paradise."  :)

Thanks for reading, and I hope all of you have a blessed and beautiful year ahead.  I'd love to read your comments... what clarity did 2020 bring you?  What did you find to be grateful for?   ~ Aloha Love, Trasea

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