Happy New Year, everyone! I spent so much of 2020 frozen, unable to speak up about what was happening in the world for fear of losing what tenuous relationships I had with people.
I didn't want this feed to become all combative, aggressive rhetoric. There was too much of that.
But what's happened over the last few years has changed me deeply. How could it not? I've seen people I thought I knew excuse a descent into fascism, if not outright gleefully call for it.
I'll never take it for granted that we won't repeat those atrocities again. We have.
Millions have said through their votes that not only were the last 4 years of gross incompetence and corruption acceptable, but they wanted MORE of it. One major political party has indulged lies and conspiracy theories and have abdicated their responsibility to govern.
And even though we've managed to pull back from the precipice for now, we're going to have to sit with the mess we've made of this country (and the world) for decades to come.
People are much more hostile and selfish than I believed they were.
It's hard to say how much seeing that has affected me. I'm moving forward in 2021 hopeful, more grateful and mindful of the people in my community who look out for each other.
But I'm also a lot more wary, a lot less willing to be open about things. These are not safe times.
So thanks to everyone who did their part to support one another through last year, who donated and helped, who did the bare minimum to prevent the spread of COVID by wearing masks, who cared more about the safety of others than their "right" to be assholes.
And to the people who have put themselves first all through this year, who have ignored the suffering all around them, who thump their chest proudly about being bigoted, anti-thought assholes, I see you.
And I'll be keeping you at a polite distance from now on.