2020 is now behind us. It feels like it was just yesterday (it actually was :P). But nonetheless, the turn of the year always feels like a chance for a fresh start. There is this subconscious programming we have of leaving what happened last year behind and a feeling of hope and excitement to get a fresh blank page right in front of us, so that we can continue to write the next chapter of our book called life.
As I’ve said in the last blog post, I for one really enjoy taking a hard long look at what I’ve done during the past year. What goals I’ve achieved, what goals I didn’t achieve, how those goals changed over time and how much I’ve grown from January 1st to January 1st.
I feel that this past year, with all the challenges it brought to each and everyone of us, was still very fruitful. Personally, I learned and gained a lot. I’ve improved many things about myself and my life and feel like, whilst I’m definitely not on the exact path I set for myself, I’m getting closer to the destination I chose to pursue. But the truth is: there is no destination. For in life, each destination instantly becomes a checkpoint the moment you reach it. The fun part of life has never been to just be at the summit of the mountain, but to reach the summit after the ever so difficult climb. And what do we do after we reach the summit? We climb back down and look for a taller mountain to climb.
At BF, I believe we did a fantastic job. We helped so many patients, in a time that felt like it would be impossible to give them the care and conditions they needed and deserved. But we adapted, we pressed on, we grew. I was so impressed with how hard patients fought to get to us. And they did! Safely and happily. And that’s the thing I noticed the most this year. Even in the face of a terrible pandemic, humanity finds a way. People did not give up. They worked hard, they adapted, they found joy and comfort in the little things. They learned not to take anything for granted. They found themselves and they found each other.
I was always very impressed with the resiliency of the human spirit. But this year I saw it first hand, and it’s definitely a force to be reckoned with.
And so, 2020 was definitely a hard climb. But I do feel like I’ve reached the top of this mountain. It’s time to scale a new summit.
2021, bring it on.