Happy New Year.

I forgot to post yesterday. Feels on brand for the year, eh? Anyway…here it is:

Well, it’s almost here. A new year. What will this year bring? That’s such a terrifying thought on some level, right? I think we all stepped into 2021 thinking that things were going to get decidedly better and then bam, a lot of shit. I mean, a lot. That’s the way the universe works though. We are going to be constantly challenged as humans. It’s just a thing. We have to get real and live with that.

The news and social media were so intent on focusing on all the things that divide us that it was easy to get caught up in it all, right? People were screaming their fucking heads off about their rights. Their right to not get vaccinated, or to get vaxxed. Their right to not wear a mask (still a fucking mystery- hope you skip seatbelts too). Their right to control a woman’s right to choose. Their right to make choices for their bodies. Their right to homeschool or send their kids to school. Their right to eat organic or not. Their right to allow their teenagers to make sexy TikTok videos or be banned from social media altogether. So many reasons to fight with each other and the media (and socials) were all too happy to continuously throw gasoline right on top of the blaze. And of course, we let them. We stood in the middle of the bonfire, hair alit, and screamed “bring it on”. Why? I don’t know. We are tired. We are frustrated. We are scared. Seemed better to be at each other’s throats than figure out a way through.

Yeah, that didn’t make any fucking sense to me when I wrote it either. So, I don’t know why the fuck we keep on doing this to each other. I don’t know why we’ve moved beyond civility. I don’t know why we can’t find something or someplace in the middle to live. It’s deeply despairing.

There are rays of hope though. There are and I think the greatest conspiracy is that media isn’t promoting the good shit. They are too busy focusing on all the bad shit. Therefore, I thought I’d close out this year with a little hope. What do you think?

1. Despite the controversy, we are more focused than ever (as a society) on food insecurity, which means we are taking steps towards something better.
2. We are talking about farming and food and goods sourcing, which is critical. Sure, it took supply chain memes and an inability to get caramel drizzle at Starbucks, but I’ll take it.
3. Did you know that China eliminated malaria this year? Feel free to get sassy right now, but I think it’s fucking awesome so it’s on my list.  If you’ve ever traveled to a spot that’s plagued by malaria, you get it.
4. A new HIV vaccine that was introduced has done very well in Phase I trials. This is MAJOR.
5. El Salvador became the first country to partner with Google to assert a commitment to digital classrooms to better educate its population.
6. Bans on plastic bags have happened all over the world, and a general focus on climate change has amped up, despite loud and proud deniers (eye roll).
7. Although progress is slow and most certainly NOT felt on a variety of levels, there were several initiatives supported and laws passed this year supporting minority and gender equality.
8. A shit load of people realized that a work life balance is necessary.
9. Space journey is become less wasteful and more commonplace (the billionaire involvement is a bit annoying, but I’m all for exploring the great unknown).
10. Great headway has been made in fighting the war against drugs and opioids in particular. Even in the way that an understanding has become more widespread thanks to media (and um, Netflix). The Sackler Family has been pretty shunned, which is a step in the right direction for sure.
11. Parts of the country are starting to give a shit about veterans and while that needs to be a much bigger push, it’s a step in the right direction.
12. We are more cognizant than ever with how broken our healthcare system is in the U.S.

These are just a few things that brought joy to my heart. That doesn’t include all the puppy videos, and art created, and sick people saved, and workers who were celebrated, and all the other ways in which people won or will win.

So, please don’t give up. Please keep trying. Please have hope. I can’t tell you that 2022 is going to be better. I can’t tell you that things are going to look up. I can tell you that if you look for what makes your insides sing, you will likely find it in the quiet. I can tell you that if you find a way to abide that truth, you will be happier all around. I can tell you that in the darkness, you can find spots of light if you look hard enough. I can tell you that there are a lot of shitty humans but there are also really good ones.

I can tell you that things are difficult and will often be tough, but there will be easier moments too. I can also tell you that in the struggle, there is some measure of understanding, a lesson. A comparison. Something.

Thank you for hanging in there with me this year. Thank you for listening. Thank you for being a sounding board. Thank you for being patient (or not and refraining from commenting). Thank you for being flawed and fabulous and human.

Looking forward to more of the same and all the different in 2022.

Much love, always.

L.