New Year New ____?

What do most of us see and hear this time of year?  New Year New You of course.  New Year New You, buy a car.  New Year New You, get healthier.  New Year New You lose weight (usually number one).  As I sit here with my coffee and oatmeal cookies I find myself on this New Years day 2021 looking back on 2020.  I guess I like to torture myself.  Most would agree it has been a different year.  Covid has definitely changed things.  Now that a vaccine is becoming available it will be interesting to to see what we leave behind and what we return to.  Will mask wearing become more common?  Will restaurants fill to capacity or will they enhance the dining experience by retaining a little of the elbow room we are starting to get accustomed to?  I know I would appreciate it if they didn't open all the seating back up.  One thing that has yet to change is that spell check still marks "Covid" as a misspelled word.  I wonder if it is going to be added to the dictionary?  Corona is already a word, if I recall it is what we see are out outer layer of the sun along with other uses.  When I check word for synonyms, I get aura, halo radiance along with other words.  I wonder if scamdemic is in the dictionary?  The squiggly red line under the word tells me it is not.

Unfortunately too many words became common place this year.  If I never hear the words pandemic, lockdown, and covid again it will be too soon.  Unfortunately unless I never look at social media or never watch the news those words will soon touch my ears.  I guess what is more important are what I choose to do when I here those words and what words I choose to utter or write.  I guess we are defined more by what we say than by what we hear. It is is hard to not be influenced by what we choose to listen too or read. I am sure I am and anyone reading these posts could probably get an idea of what I choose to listen too.  I am probably too quick to discount opinions I disagree with.  I guess in the end I am as human as the next person.

Looking back on 2020 I was able to be gainfully employed.  I was let go at one job and was able to quickly get another one.  I live in a nice house and have a nest egg built up.  I have both an emergency fund and a retirement fund built.  I am a little unsure of the the retirement fund, so if anyone has any advice on retirement leave a comment.  I could use all the advice I can get.  In 2020 we welcomed our latest and more than likely last grandson.  Both of our children say they are finished having kids.  I remain somewhat healthy and anything that has been wrong my health coverage has been able to address.

Most of all I have a renewed sense of love for my wife and partner of 37 years.  It has just been the 2 of us for most of the year.  We have supported each other through the joys and hardships that any couple experiences.  It is just that those experiences are more difficult to bear during a pandemic.  More thought and planning needs to go into visiting a sick friend (if you can go at all).  Passing of a loved one is tragic enough but the hurt is magnified when you cannot travel to the funeral.  Simply not being able to visit family is in itself heartbreaking.  Through this pandemic my wife and I have kept each others spirits up.  

I love her more than ever.  I hope and pray that I have been her rock.