2020 was a rough year. Yeah, that’s an understatement. It was tough to find a silver lining with all the dark, gloomy, menacing storm clouds. Listening to or reading a steady stream of news reports brought more of those threatening clouds along with stomach distress and intermittent brain fog.
As the year progressed, political tensions grew even more tense, and anger raged across the nation. With nary a streak of silver, the storm clouds continued to gather on the horizon and block out the sun.
But then came November, and people began posting on social media things they were grateful for using the hashtag #givethanks. And with each #givethanks post and comment, bits of silver appeared in the clouds.
December brought #lighttheworld2020, and once again, people posted on social media about the things they were doing to bring light to an ever-darkening world. And a few more slivers of silver peaked through.
Looking back over 2020, I see miracles, even in this wild, crazy, tumultuous year. Some are so tiny they are barely visible. Some are quiet. Some are loud. But no matter their magnitude, the miracles are there waiting to be acknowledged so they can bring a bit of joy, a smattering of peace, a glimmer of hope.
No one knows exactly what 2021 will bring. It’s a fair bet that it will be a wild ride. (Since 21 is the legal drinking age, we can only hope 2021 isn’t the alcoholic sibling of 2020.) But the miracles will be there. They will be around the corner, in the nooks and crannies, and amidst the storm clouds.
As I thought about what I wanted to focus on this year, I contemplated what I could do. I can’t change the world. I can’t fix politics. I can’t control the weather. But I can hear good news. I can hearken to positive voices. I can heed the call to share what I have.
The dark, gloomy, menacing storm clouds may well continue into 2021, but the silver linings are there. In this new year, my watchwords – hear, hearken, and heed – will help me find them. I hope you will find them, too.