I don’t quite know what it is about this year but it seems like every waking moment of every day might be our last. I am, by no means trying to sound like a “doomsday-er” or overtly depressing but if 2020 were to be compared to any disaster movie sequence in particular, it feels like the part in Titanic when everyone is abandoning ship. Personally, I have far too many goals and things on my to do list for that noise, but I am quite tired of every other news notification reading “Murder Hornets”, “The Bubonic Plague”, or the latest “A series of small quakes near San Andreas Faults have scientists worried the big one is coming”.
Can we catch a break 2020? Or will we just be in this “Lost” version of purgatory where each day is a new horror until the clock strikes midnight on what has been a tragic disaster.
Aside from the pandemic panic attacks, that for me started around the end of March, is the newfound natural disaster and occurrences panic. This one catches you off guard while you’re scrolling through Twitter, almost forgetting there is a deadly contagion outside only to be snapped back to the realty of this horrible year by A) Something the Corrupter in Chief said or B) A reminder that mother earth is pissed. The latter of which does not just come in mobile notifications but in 4am actual Earth jolts because you happen to live in Earthquake California.
It is for all of these reasons that I write this open letter to 2020:
Dear 2020,
You were by no means what any of us expected. It is unfortunate that myself and so many others were under the very poor assumption this would be the new Roaring 20’s, ushering in an era of glamour and tech wonder, you found humor in making this the literal remake – Pandemic, Economic Meltdown and all. While that alone has been traumatic enough and certainly makes us regret counting down to midnight for you, we were naive to think that was all that was in store. As those that are single ponder the possibility of dying alone during this catastrophe (#AllByMyself), we have also fielded the possibility of deadly murder hornets (why), newly released UFO footage (ok…) and overdue racial unrest. The latter of which is absolutely necessary (because Black Lives Matter today and everyday,) begging the question, why the others? Who wrote this part of the script? MTV spent way too much money on this elaborate episode of Punk’d.
Then we have these other incidents of trauma and loss from the aforementioned CA earthquakes and its subsequent countdown to the big one, Hurricane’s (of course) and let us not forget the tragedies across the way, with this weeks explosion in Lebanon. It is all just a bit much to deal with. Actually it is a FUCKING lot to deal with. And I am not someone who casually drops an f-bomb mid-sentence.
So 2020, while during this time you have blessed so many with unexpected pregnancies (congrats to my friends) and allowed a quick transition into the world of Zoom celebrations (my shoes say hello to the world it once knew) , and yes perhaps forced us all to take time to really connect with one another, I have but one request… Please postpone any other upcoming plans for disasters.
We are aware that Covid is, for the most part likely not going anywhere anytime soon, and while that does mean unnecessary loss of life, we will, through our shared pain overcome. What none of us can handle is a secondary bout of batten down the hatches chaos. We already know that this will likely happen on its own come Nov. 4.
We can survive this year if you would be so gracious as to give us a fighting chance. So please, no more pondering waking up San Andreas Fault or sending any acts of nature our way. Our plate is full.
Sincerly,
A girl who just wants to live (literally)
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