Uncertainty. Fear. Loss. Emptiness. No matter what we experienced in 2020, I’m assuming that it falls into one -or more- of these categories. Even just reading these words immediately causes an emotional reaction and brings back the deep, dark feelings I felt that year. But it wasn’t just me, and I know I could’ve been affected even more severely. So what gives me the right to complain or write about it?
Unfortunately it seems like none of us can. There were no real winners or losers, most of us just lost. Since no one’s experience of the year can be compared, we’ve given up discussing it. Instead of sharing our experiences of pain or grief, we just want to move past them. And I don’t blame those who do. It was hard enough to live through, why hold onto and remember it?
But a beautiful thing happens when we connect through our communal suffering. We find a common connection -a crumb of compassion- for our fellow humans.