Thursday, December 31, 2020

Can 2021 Be Any More Crazy?

So every year I say something like I did last year:"Each year seems to reach peak craziness, only to be outdone by the following year." Well, 2020 has given a whole new meaning to "peak craziness". "It's 2020" became the catch-all phrase in reaction to events.

As we began the year, reports were surfacing about a respiratory related coronavirus originating in the city of Wuhan, China. While the reports sounded ominous, there have been other pandemics over the years that never seemed to really impact daily life, at least here in the United States. Well, by March, the world was definitely turned upside down by the Covid 19 coronavirus pandemic and the measures being taken to try and control it. As the disease continues to spread and vaccines and other measures are coming online to counter it, questions are raised as to how far protective measures can infringe on individual and community rights, along with what are the most reasonable and effective strategies for dealing with this situation.

Outbursts of social and racial unrest and a divisive presidential campaign and election that has raised more questions than it has apparently answered also marked this wild year. More than ever, the divisions in society are largely defined by the lack of shared confidence in sources of information, as established and alternate sources of news seem to be more about triggering emotions than in provoking thinking. Attempts to marginalize and even censor information by some social media platforms only further inflame distrust and division.

Even with all of the political and social upheaval going on, amazing progress continues to be made in medicine, technology and other fronts. Some amazing advances in space were made this year as astronauts launched into orbit from the US for the first time since 2011, robotic missions were launched toward Mars by three nations, and Elon Musk's company SpaceX continued rapid development of a next generation space vehicle named "Starship" at a once sleepy beach town of Boca Chica, TX.

Well, personal lives and human history are seldom phased conveniently by the calendar, so there's no guarantee that 2021 won't match or exceed the craziness of 2020. Nevertheless, may we continue to make headway in protecting life and defending liberty while respecting the dignity of every person despite our differences. And may God's blessings and peace be upon you and yours and wishing all the best in this new year of 2021 and the amazing decade to come.

No comments: