What a year this has been. I am sure many are starting their end of the year posts like this, but if it wasn’t appropriate now, it never will be. This year I set out my goals/resolutions with the theme of growth, specifically I chose things that were always deferred and, well, if this year was not almost deferred itself.

Out of the 5 goals I set, 2 have been completed entirely: contribute to an open source initiative, and donate blood. These were binary in nature, either I did them or did not. For the others (yoga/flexibility, writing, and personal project) it was less clear cut. These goals required continuous and even effort. As the posts on this blog make clear, the effort was continuous, but sporadic.

I did in fact write more, but perhaps it was off target for what I had envisioned. I also became more flexible, for a while. Finally, I worked on, but did not complete a personal project. Considering the tumultuous year, I am not overly disappointed. I made inroads into the goals I had set, and for others I achieved them. That is enough for me and enough about me.

This year will definitely be one for the history books. Wracked by a pandemic, society was torn apart and recombined. As the virus swept around the globe, countries went into various stages of lockdown. South Africa, for one went into a total lock down for a long time before a phased return to a new normal. Even now, 2021 is gearing up for another year of pandemic protocols and social upheaval.

Throughout all of this, we have been given the display of the best of humanity and the worst of humanity. Though separated through social distancing, we connected through the internet. We drew closer together to immediate family. We took, hopefully, a step back and noted the things we missed, and those we could probably live without.

Undoubtedly, the economic and social devastation has not even begun to rear its ugly head. The bell has tolled ceaselessly and will continue to do so. By all indications, this virus is here to stay for a long time.

While the metaphorical night will grow ever darker over the next few years, but hopefully we can remain huddled around a flicker of light, together.