It’s probably safe to say that from now until doomsday 2020 will be the year we remember as fondly as an unsedated colonoscopy. So, imagine when I came to realize that for me 2020 was only the amuse-bouche of a dinner service featuring 20lbs of shit crammed into a 5lb bag as the main course called 2021.

The pandemic caused many of us to reevaluate our lives. We found ourselves analyzing our goals, values, and in large part how we wanted to spend whatever time we had left on this (or any other) planet. As a result, whether by choice or by force we all shifted in some way. Some changes were long-lasting while others proved to be temporary and soon reverted back to their pre-pandemic state. However, the biggest chunk of things most likely stayed the same and among them were some very important things—things we actually wanted to change. But as the dust settled, dulling the edge of our newfound impetus, we ended up placing the most enlightened of our epiphanies sheepishly back on the old dawdling shelf to once again be ignored.

As tragic as this past year was it served one key purpose; it demanded I reexamine my previous findings, drove me to dig even deeper for more, and spurred me to actually reprioritize my life in real actionable ways.

A year, a hyphen, and another year. That’s our life. We’re born, we die, and that hyphen in between represents our entire existence. If I’m successful in my efforts I’ll get some good quality miles out it. The best miles of my journey yet to come.

I suppose it makes sense that some good would come from such a dark and shitty time. After all, new life does sprout from the foulest manure. Happy New Year to all.

“It’s better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a bull (phoenix)” -Chinese Proverb

宁做鸡头，不当凤尾