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20/20, the year we didn't see coming...

(some thoughts)

By FernandoPublished 3 years ago 6 min read
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What was your new years resolution? Maybe you wanted to get fitter, start that diet you’ve been putting of for a while (or maybe a little more than a while). Maybe 2020 was the year you told yourself you would get that dream job, embark in your scholastic pursuit, or get your money right (dollar dollar bills y’all). But alas, something foreign and unexpected happened. If I told you that in 2020 some virus that originated in the east and basically travelled at the speed of light, to be a threat in virtually every corner of the planet, you would probably tell me, ‘get your head out the clouds homes’. Well my head is still in that cloud, and so is yours, a cloud of fear, anxiety and uncertainty, lightly shrouded by a mask (surgical, or if you fancy yourself the fashionista, a bedazzled piece of cloth). Yet as if that wasn’t enough, another head was pinned down by a life ending knee, sparking a global movement the lights we haven’t seen in a long time.

So, you’re already aware of what I’m talking about. YES, the all-consuming, and most importantly, all annoying, secret agent Corona virus, codename Covid-19, will leave you both shaken, and stirred if you catch it.

Reported to have flu-like symptoms. Wow, that’s great, if I sneeze or have a runny nose or sore throat, I am now in this self-induced fear mode, where I contemplate on my life so far, and start making plans with the mortuary. I feel like it makes it harder as this secret agent is also a master of disguise, picking out the most common illness known to man to masquerade itself in, the bloody common cold, COMMON, they added that bit in, just to foretell of its occurrence.

There’s a lot of conspiracy theories related to the virus, and I neither confirm nor deny any of it. Whether the virus is real or not, one thing is for certain, it has had real implications in our daily lives, and that’s no conspiracy. Our shops and schools are closed, borders in an intermittent state of closure. Restrictions on how far you can go and who you can associate with. And I know you’ll feel this one, sanitizing your hands basically a hundred times a day, and that’s no exaggeration. Every one smells like an alcoholic now. That’s just to name a few way’s this virus has affected us.

I feel like anyone with a tv is more than qualified to give news bulletin on the subject now, simply from being exposed to it so often. ‘Today, our case tally has risen by 20, 5 deaths reported, all linked to age care… a cluster in the suburb of whatever has been identified, authorities are trying to isolate the cluster members, and community transmission is being traced…’ you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it twice, and no matter the amount of times, it never sounds nice.

I personally don’t know much about virus’s beyond high school biology, but I can sniff out irregularities. Essential service workers are permitted to work, while other ‘deemed’ not essential have to rely on government support, or their own life savings to get by, as job security is snuffed from them. I’m under the impression that any job is essential to the person performing it, for whatever personal reasons they may have, or else they simply wouldn’t be doing it. As we are told no one is immune to it, this virus is evil, yes, but it does not discriminate apparently, anyone is as good as another. So, when we have people moving about the community, even if it is work, then coming in contact with others, aren’t they a hazard to our health, to our freedom? Of course, it would be impossible to have everyone stay home indefinitely while we stomp out this virus and end the pandemic. The world circulates based on the attraction of the sun, but us, we, the people are who give meaning to it, by our daily activities.

For those impacted by it in whatever stretch, it is sad, and we wish them the best, that basically includes all of us. As if the pandemic wasn’t enough to rattle the cage, the death of the American George Flyod sparked a global chain reaction the lights of which I have never seen in my existence. The BLM (Black lives matter) movement. From America to New Zealand, people protested against police brutality and racial injustice, ‘cause well that’s just not right.

In the middle of the pandemic, where people are restricted from being in groups, of even small amounts of 5, thousands upon thousands marched together shoulder to shoulder to make a bold statement. As expected, when you have that many people congregating, and such deep emotions circulating, things can get a little dramatic to put it mildly. I think the hopelessness and anger from the pandemic also added fuel to that flame. Basically, I think ALL LIFE MATTER, yes, but you only fix the sink that’s leaking, not the one working fine.

I being someone who falls under the classification of ‘black,’ felt this really deep sense of global connection and sadness as I watched the scenes through the telly. It felt like a global awakening. It was surreal, I tried to take on all the different perspectives that floated around, white, black and everything in between. Even the police officers too, like let’s be real, being an officer of the law is a tough job, and it inherently requires a tough approach, so I’m not saying that police officers should be softer, as that could mean a rampaging society. The law should be enforced strongly, maybe not in an iron fist type of way, but in a more humane way, and no one, I mean no one, should be exempt from it. I have had a few experiences myself, where perhaps my race, was used against me, I don’t like to think of it in that way, as making excuses doesn’t make things better, but left with few other reasons for unfair treatment, what else can you fall on? Regardless I also have good stories of interactions with officers, and that breed of policing is the one I applaud. Basically, speaking there are good apples and bad apples in every race, profession, department and so on. So, let’s not make it into a general thing.

I’ve heard a saying that always sticks with me, ‘never waste a good a crisis.’ I think with all that’s happening in the world, a lot of us realized, that life is pretty bland cooped up in the house by ourselves, we crave and need the presence of others. This sound’s so cliché, and I cringe a little by saying it, but we are all in this together. 2020 is almost over, and I think we’ve all learnt a lot about ourselves and others. I learnt that wearing my custom black mask makes me feel like I’m Scorpio or Subzero in mortal combat. Little mind tricks I use to distract myself from how uncomfortable those muthaf.. are. I’m sure you too are coming up with coping mechanisms of your own. I wish this was the game, and I could meet 2020 personified, how sweet it would be, with the clock running down, and that voice echoes, ‘finish him.’ So, let’s just take it all with a grain of salt, and hope for the best. 20/20 vision means to see clearly, and clearly, we can see a lot going on.

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About the Creator

Fernando

Hi, I really like to express my self through creative writing. I basically like to paint pictures with words, always on the look out for engaging writing in any subject.

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