This Year's Events

This past year has brought uncertainty, grief over the loss of a life we expected (at least in the short term), and fear. We’ve had to withdraw from social circles and isolate more. We’ve been forced to confront death and realize it can come for us at will. We’ve had to change daily patterns, and we can’t get what we want. The racial reckoning has made me pause and reflect on how little I know or understand. The Capitol riot disgusted me. So, this year’s events have definitely affected me. However, COVID-19 hasn’t affected me as drastically as it has much of the world. Why? When my husband died, I lost the future I expected. I had to confront death and appreciate it isn’t fair; it takes good people and sometimes defies logic. I desired to isolate myself and withdraw from social circles. Long before COVID, I felt more comfortable staying home than interacting with people whose lives were “normal.” Quarantining, therefore, hasn’t significantly altered my life. Getting through a pandemic hasn’t been as hard as surviving after my husband died. Therefore, the past year’s events haven’t affected my writing other than acknowledging that I should write more because millions more people are now grieving. However, my job demands have prevented my having time to write more.