The End of 2020
Solo stove, one of my favorite adds of 2020
What a crazy emotional roller coaster of a year this has been. For me, it started on such a high note, early winter wedding in Florida, then a dive trip on a live aboard, a road trip to Seattle for a buddies birthday and a week in Bonaire diving. I mean seriously, Jan and February were two of the best months I have had in a long time.
We were schedule to spend 3 1/2 weeks in Ireland shortly after I was to return from Bonaire, and then the world as we know it sort of fell apart. Not all at once, but a slow and gradual dive into darkness.
The pandemic, racial unrest and businesses failing all conspired against us. Things kept getting worse and it was all out of control. I remember after making it through the summer, feeling a sense of relief as fall began to arrive. It brought a sense that at a minimum, the chaos could not go on much longer… It just couldn’t.
October took me out to the Midwest where I photographed a week long bike race, camped a ton, road my bike even more and hung with good friends. Again, the feeling of joy intermixed with a sense of Angst.
With the pandemic raging I converted my 4Runner into a micro camper so I would not have to stay in hotels. My 6 week road trip saw me only stay in a hotel for 4 nights, as I was beginning to smell… At the end, safely back in Maine, November and December have flown by and dragged by….
Pandemic, election, pandemic, election,… The insanity of it all has made it tough to be positive. Anyone reading these posts will see that clearly they have not been on the positive side. While I hope that 2021 brings more positive than negative, I am still committed to simply writing each day what I feel. Writing with no regard for an audience but simply for myself.
There will be periods of time where things seem more negative than positive and hopefully times where there is more positivity than negativity. The ebb and flow of someone that is in touch with his sensitivities… Not sure that is a word, but I know what I mean.
So, where does this leave us? December 31st, the end of a cruddy year. I am, even with all the doom and gloom, excited about decisions and plans that I have put in motion. Plans that have me moving forward with life decisions as well as professional decisions. Plans that are all about living instead of “thinking about living”.
You know, stepping out of the Social Media bubble where constantly compare our lives to the beautifully crafted world of the Gram. Yep, moving forward. Following the path. Loving more. Laughing more. Smiling more.
LIVING MORE
May 2021 bring you much peace and happiness. More than anything, follow the path. Keep the faith. You were always meant to be where you are.
G-
