“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, …”. From Charles Dickens novel “A Tale of Two Cities”

That’s how I’ve decided to view 2020. It would be easy to claim that everything about this year sucked, but a whole year has to include some good- at least if we look hard enough. That said, first, the worst of times, punctuated by the top two newsworthy events of the year…

The Coronavirus Pandemic (what else)

-People getting sick and some dying as a result
-Fear and pessimism
-Lockdowns, unemployment, and economic suffering
-A pervasive melancholy

A Bizzarro Political Environment

-Americans HATING each other based on their political persuasions
-An election like no other, rife with charges of fraud, sabotage, legal challenges and a sitting president who epitomizes incredulity
-BLM supporters and detractors fighting in the streets
-A feeling amongst young people that this supposedly great country is coming apart, just like the environment and their futures

Now for the best of times…

The Coronavirus Pandemic

-Frontline workers taking care of others at their own peril
-Most of us and our loved ones will either not get sick or will handle it
-Virtual meetings replacing all those miles driven or flown
-Multiple vaccines created in record time
-A light at the end of the tunnel with intense enthusiasm for the other side

A Bizzarro Political Environment

-An appreciation of what was and a nostalgic feeling awaiting its return
-Racism exposed and flaunted, hopefully speeding its demise
-Paranoia about both socialism and anarchy, ensuring the strengthening of our democracy
-Integrity, decorum, and mindfulness coming back into vogue
-A renewed appreciation for hugs
-Having lived through the worst times in recent American history, young people will elate at any return to normalcy

So, there you have it; one person’s attempt at seeing what is. As we know, adversity both creates opportunity and accelerates change. Though lots of bad has occurred in 2020, good inevitably finds its way and ultimately prevails.

On a business front, there’s been lots of good in what was looking like a pretty rotten year. Our team really stepped up and proved how good they are, taking care of our customers and each other. In the end, our business results were much better than we ever could’ve envisioned in the dark days of spring. How cool is that…

Without sharing details about my personal life, this is the best it’s been for me in so long, maybe ever. And Gianna, my soon to be 16-year-old, continues to awe me with her beauty, warmth, humor and maturity.

I don’t know about you but we’re staying up this year to welcome in the New Year- something I haven’t done in quite a while. I suppose we all need a year like 2020 to remind us to appreciate just how fortunate we are as we look for the impending return to normalcy. It’s so easy to see our lives as routine & humdrum- until it ain’t. I’m ready to revel in what was.

Happy 2021- the best is yet to come!