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2020 has been a seriously strange year. It’s hard to put into words. The pandemic has obviously affected everybody.
I remember when I first heard about the coronavirus, back in February 2020. My thoughts were simple. I’d lived through swine flu, bird flu, ebola, and heard about SARs. I remembered the ‘swine flu skank’ song from my secondary school days.
After having survived the dreaded swine flu, surely the coronavirus was nothing more than media hype. I shrugged it off as one of those random viruses that would pass with time.
Oh, how I was wrong.
2020: Year of The Pandemic
Truthfully, I don’t think that the coronavirus itself is the worst thing in the world. Most people who get the virus heal. Everyone knows someone who knows someone who has had it.
When my sister came from Germany to stay with us, I met her at Heathrow with my scarf wrapped around my face. I’ve always wrapped my scarf round my face in winter because of the bloody cold. She cheerfully pointed out that the scarf wouldn’t help with the coronavirus. (I explained that the cold weather was a worse concern for me.)
Now everyone is wearing face masks. When all this happened, information about how face masks are ‘useless‘ and ‘ineffective‘ was passed left-to-right. Now they’re the holy-grail of health.
The True Coronavirus Casualties
I think that the true sad legacy of the coronavirus is the effect on people’s emotional and mental wellbeing. Locked up in our homes. Unable to see family on Christmas. Not being able to shop in certain places. Wearing face masks. Can’t go abroad.
I understand the need to contain the virus. In the UK, the NHS is our saviour. We have to stop the hospitals from being overwhelmed with patients. I wish someone told us how tough getting doctor’s appointments for anything else would be though. Cancer treatments have been put aside for the sake of the coronavirus. You ring up the doctor and there’s a 45-second preamble from an automated machine about coronavirus symptoms.
But to paraphrase Carrie Bradshaw, I can’t help but wonder if the detriment to our mental wellbeing is the worst tragedy of 2020. Forcing people to stay inside, locked away from loved ones, can’t be a good thing.
There are the sceptics too. Some folks think that the coronavirus is a hoax created by the government as part of a conspiracy. I definitely don’t believe this. However, I do think that we have been given too much contradictory information. I also firmly believe that the media has stirred the pot with this one so much that it’s bubbling lava.
Coronavirus vs Businesses
I’m not talking about Amazon and Primark and McDonald’s. I’m talking about the local businesses that have suffered due to the pandemic. People aren’t going out to buy things. Cafes and restaurants are closing down. This virus has made me think that we need a universal base income.
I’m one of the fortunate ones. Having been on benefits for over a year, I’ve spent most of my time building up my writing career. Investing money in Amazon and Facebook ads, promotional writing sites, and of course writing a lot. Writers are in a great situation. What better excuse to stay inside and work? Even my blog has never looked better.
I barely went outside during the first three-month lockdown. For those of us who struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, the neurosis of others gets absorbed into our psyche. That’s how it’s been for me. Summer was better, but winter brings overcast gloom.
Still, it hasn’t been all doom-and-gloom. I wrote a new novel that I’m hoping to get an agent for in 2021. It’s a young-adult satirical dystopia. I also got into an incredible relationship. 2020 is the year I fell in love. After the rain, there is a rainbow.
Looking Ahead
I’m sure there are many for whom 2020 brought goodness and hope. I met somebody who said over the second lockdown they learned French. He spoke like a native, shedding the London urban drawl.
I have so many desires and dreams for 2021. Not just writing related. I want to travel. I haven’t left the UK since 2015. Resuming playing music would be great. My key goals are to get a literary agent for my next novel, and keep promoting my other work. I also have a short series I am working on under a pseudonym, which I won’t go into too much about.
But what about you? What are you hoping for in 2021? Has 2020 been awful for you or have there been some good things? Have you learned more about yourself during these tough times? Let me know!
Wishing you all the best for 2021.
2020 was a horrible year except for one bright spot. My youngest son got married right before the pandemic started. I have high hopes for 2021 !
That’s amazing, congratulations to him!
Honestly for me 2020 has of been very bad! Obviously me and my family couldn’t do the things we hoped and which we would normally do but we were lucky compared to many others who lost their jobs and skipping meals! We had a lot of quality family time which would not have been possible if this had not happened, so I guess was not as bad as it was for many others.
*….me 2020 has not been very….
*…..lost their jobs and were skipping meals!…..
*…..so I guess it was not as bad as it was for many others.
Sorry for the mistakes
It’s very true that the horrors of 2020 have made those of us who have families and food feel more blessed and grateful for what we have. But yes, it is awful to think of those who lost their jobs and whose family members passed away due to the virus. Hopefully 2021 will bring goodness and prosperity for you!
For me 2020 was a nuissance with always when out wear a mask. My husand had to go overseas for a job and was quarinteed. And had to work remotely from home
Yeah the masks are uncomfortable and a bit annoying. I hope you weren’t separated from your husband for too long, that sucks.
I’ve enjoyed spending more time with my immediate family. Thanks for the chance.
That’s really lovely and you’re welcome 😀
It’s been hard on our family me and my husband got married in January 2020, since this pandemic I have not been able to change my last name or I have been waiting for ss to send the paperwork to change my name lol. My daughter is expecting her third kid in February. So, even though it has been a long rough year, me and my husband have had more time together. We watched movies and cooked together and went rock hunting in our area. I am hoping this new year to be more prosperous and seeing our new grandbaby on video chat. I hope you had yours have a better year ahead. Keep writing books, I have found new authors and books to read.
I’m so glad that you and your husband had lots of amazing times together. I’m sure you didn’t bank on starting your marriage in such strange circumstances lol.
Thank you for the message r.e. my books, I am glad you found some new reads! Reading is definitely an amazing thing to do during these tough times.
202, the year of “cancel culture”: the trip to NYC, the trip to RI…all canceled. But we’re here, we’re safe, we love each other! We’re #nytough
Haha ‘cancel culture’ is so stupid! And sorry to hear your New York trip was cancelled, I’m sure you’ll get to go another time. I would love to visit New York some day 😀
I have been dealing with some health issues and was told just before the pandemic that not only did I need surgery but physical therapy for some of what I’ve been dealing with. I have bad asthma so my personal doctor was telling me to limit going out so my anxiety was up about everything. Yet my hands were one of the primary issues I was having. Everyone needs their hand right? So I added new meds so I could go have 2 surgeries one on each hand. Did therapy at home on my own lol I had my brother come stay with me which he didn’t mind because his current room mates had added family to their place for quaratine. So the first time since we lost our mother we binded together during this pandemic in survival mode. My brother is a grocery store dept head so he stocks the groceries at his little store chain. I had things on hand from when our mother was alive that I used to keep her healthy likes santizer, wipes and clorox. So I made sure he had what he needed when he was out. The stories he had when he came home smh. What I’m taking from 2020 is learning experiences ONLY. Take care of those you love and always make sure they know how you feel for them. Make sure you have a supply of certain items on hand that you can need in times of quarantine. Also everyone should band together because that’s how we’ll end up getting through this.
That’s a really beautiful takeaway, the importance of banding together and looking out for one’s loved ones. Sorry to hear about your physical difficulties. At least you were able to see your brother and have supplies to hand. I guess the good thing about being human is our ability to adapt to tough situations, and it sounded like you handled this very well.
2020 was hard on my family, particularly the end. I hope that 2021 is a lot better.
Same!
I have copd and am 63 and have been out of my house only once since March and that was to get a flu shot. We lost my mom September of 2019 and I haven’t been able to see as much of my dad as I wanted. My brother had to have emergency abdominal surgery in August and haven’t been able to see him either. I am so very grateful for messenger in keeping in touch with my family. 2021 has got to be better. I miss my family so very much.
I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope things get better for you soon, and am sure that you will be able to see family in 2021.
2020 was a rough year for everyone. It’s been difficult to adjust to all the isolation. Here’s to hoping that 2021 allows us to get back to a more normal way of life.
Definitely 😀
2020 was a tough year for everyone. I haven’t gone anywhere since quarantine started but I’m glad I’m able to chat with my family. I hope 2021 is better than last year.
Same here, and being able to chat to family is a blessing!
2020 was a year that I would like to forget. I didn’t work for over half of it due to being furloughed. But since I still technically had a job, my state said I didn’t qualify for the covid unemployment. So yeah……
Oh that sucks. I hope things will be better for you in 2021.
2020 for me has had its ups and downs and without my family and the book communities I would have been lost. I’ve been okay one minute and down full of anxiety the next. But let’s hope we can pull through and come out the other side. Thanks so much. Happy New Year. Keep Safe
Thank you for sharing, and stay safe!