Chaos. That is all the year 2020 can ever be described as: pure chaos. When we have become so accustomed to instant gratification, we are constrained. When we have felt like nothing could touch us, we are losing loved ones. When we have selfishly believed that racism and prejudice are over, innocent lives are being taken. Chaos has completely overtaken 2020 and we are only a little over halfway through.
So how do we live? How do we keep going during this time of uncertainty?
We let go of the idea of instant gratification. The life we used to know will never be true again. A cure will not magically appear – it will take time. We won’t be able to randomly not wear a mask when we go outside – it will take time. Social distancing won’t be over tomorrow – it will take time. We need to let go of the idea that what we want to happen will happen immediately and accept that it will take time. Focus on what we can do – protect each other and ourselves.
We embrace the ones we love while we can. No, this is not meant physically. While we have the opportunity to talk to people, to tell them we love them, to laugh with them, to enjoy their presence, do it. With uncertainty comes the unknown. We don’t know how much time we or anyone else has left on this earth. Instead of acting like we are invincible, we need to take a moment and enjoy our time with the people we love.
We listen to those who have been living with racism every day of their lives. For them, this did not start in 2020. This has always been their reality. They have had to live their lives in fear because of the color of their skin. If our government will not rise up to protect us, we need to protect each other, and that begins with listening. We will never truly understand what they have gone through because we have not experienced it, but we can listen and use our privilege to amplify their voices. When our president is constantly referring to the coronavirus as the “China Virus” and prioritizing power over Black lives, we have an obligation to stand beside them.
Chaos is not uncommon – life will always have moments of chaos. The only thing we can control is how we handle the chaos, how we support each other, and how we maintain our mental stability when our world seems to be shattering. If there is one thing life in 2020 will teach us, it is perseverance during uncertainty.
