Finding Hope and Happiness in 2021

The year 2020 has been an unpredictable ride through world politics, the pandemic, numerous protests, and many more difficulties that have made living life quite hard for most. Let us embrace 2021 with much-needed hope and happiness. Just, K.

Hey Karen,

I love your photo, and your post ;) Of all the unpredictable and crazy happenings of 2020, the saddest realization for me has been recognizing the undeniable fact that so many Americans have such different values from myself. Sad and scary. Opinions and values are not the same thing but that reality seems to have gotten lost in people's rush to ensure their "rights". I wish a happy and healthy 2021 to everyone no matter what their opinion. But to those whose values allow them to defend claiming their right to a choice about such a simple, small sacrifice as wearing a mask when people are dying, I say bah humbug. Grow up. If you want to be a part of a society then learn what that really means and get over yourself! I find it so hard to believe that if I face to face asked someone without a mask if they would rather I die than they put on a mask, I refuse to believe that they would say, "sorry, but it's my right to not wear a mask, so yeah, TS but I'm not gonna wear one". Unfortunately, the behavior that has been exhibited has shaken my faith. I believe that folks have already proven themselves incapable of being responsible, so mandate the masks, dammit! It's a health issue. My husband has now been exposed by a few customers and 2 fellow employees for the fifth time in as many months. His boss emails him to inform him after a customer informs them or a fellow employee tests positive. Lucky for him, his immune system seems to be working well as he keeps testing negative and has no symptoms. But I can tell you he's damned tired of having sticks stuck up his nose!!!! And it's pretty stressful at home, too.

I'm holding out for a better 2021, and hopefully a change in the atmosphere, attitude, and actions of mankind. We're proving ourselves pretty undeserving lately.

PEACE

Nancy

Good for you, Nancy!

You make good points with too close to home to back it up. I am very glad you have drawn a line in the sand. Great job!

THIS IS A NON-POLITICAL RESPONSE.  I salute your positivity, strained tho' it may be under the circumstances.  I wish I could muster a little of that hope.  The stupidity, gullibility, selfishness and dishonesty of a significant percentage of the population stuns me.  It's going to get worse. 

Drat - more non-political stuff - now robots have better moves than me. Just K.

https://futurism.com/the-byte/video-boston-dynamics-robots-busting-impressive-dance-moves

I feel the same as you, Henry.  How could some 73 million folks vote for things to continue in the direction dictated during the last four years?  What's wrong with us?  I think the schools are failing, the church is failing and our definitions of "goodness" and "success" come from different books.  These are not happy times.

Respectfully,

Mike

Hi Nancy, we here in Canada have a small "lunatic fringe" as I think of them, the anti-maskers, the conspiracy theorists (Covid isn't real), but for the most part people are using their common sense and doing what is asked or required of them, physical distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, not gathering in groups etc. Depending on where you are in the country, the restrictions differ, but the vast majority are abiding by the health authorities' suggestions and mandates.
When I see what is happening across the border, first of all it shocks me, but then I have to wonder "why?". After all, Canadians and Americans are so alike, right? We are both wealthy countries with educated populations, both democracies. Culturally we seem to be the same, at least on the surface, but dig a little deeper and you will find differences. I have a theory, feel free to reject it, but I'll just throw it out there. I have many friends and family in the U.S. and have spent a fair amount of time there. One thing I have observed is that "freedom" is a concept that has been drilled into the citizenry from a young age. The U.S. is known as the "land of the free", and its citizens are advised to be proud to be from a country that values freedom, that is "personal freedom", that you as an individual can make a choice to do what you want, that you have "rights" that cannot be challenged or taken away from you. That is all well and good, but the reality is that Canadians as individuals have just as much personal freedom as Americans, it's just not a concept that has been drilled into us. I think as individuals Canadians are far more likely to accept that there are instances when public safety trumps personal freedom, and that common sense needs to be the driver when people's lives are at stake. I am just as much of a skeptic as the next person when it comes to believing that my government has my best interests at heart. But the current situation is not a political one, as much as some try to make it one. The current situation requires that we all do what is best for the population at large, not just what is best for us as individuals.

I hope we all see better days in the year ahead, but we've got a long way to go. With the vaccine already here and being dispensed, I fear too many are already thinking it's time to relax. It's not!

Respectfully,

Terry

Hi Terry, 
Very nicely put, with honesty and kindness. 

...mountain. 

Wow Terry,

Can you be on my team? Well explained; this has been something I have been trying to figure out for some time as I too, have friends and family in the states. Our cultural differences are slowly uncovering. I really like when people state their opinions, even if they are opposite to mine, because it allows me to see all sides of a coin. Just, K.

A very smart, thought-provoking statement.  You may be on to something.  I'm certainly going to give your theory some consideration.

Hey

Nancy, I thought this was a "non-political" post?

Apparently, I was wrong.  

Hi Nancy, I've always had a hard time understanding why Americans don't want universal healthcare. I, like you, have always believed that healthcare should be a human right in a civilized society. A sad irony to me is that amongst those least likely to be in favor of universal healthcare are members of the "religious right". Doesn't seem very "Christian" to me ...just sayin.

Terry

For me, it boils down to this. Until an American applies for Canadian residency and gets a provincial health care card and actually uses it and sees how it works - like a close friend of mine - nobody knows, and I mean nobody stateside knows what they are talking about. Bullcrap! It is like talking to a wall, and it is not worth the effort anymore.  Enough said. The states can keep their system, and I will continue to treasure and fight for mine. I really don't think health issues should be political - right??!!??

This photo says more than I can... Just, K.

  Love it K. How true! Very nice.   ..mountain.  

Love the T-shirt!  You are right, politics shouldn't really have anything to do with our health, and it wouldn't, in a perfect world.

Terry

Hi, I'm one of those people whom you seem to hate. I don't wear masks. I don't believe in them and have yet to see the medical science that definitely proves that a tiny virus can't penetrate a cheap mask made in China, which is what most people can afford. You are not Hitler's minions, and stop acting like it. Just because the "State" tells you the sky is falling does not mean that it is. I am not trying to kill you or your mother, just live my life as a free American citizen under the Constitution. This is not political.

Good morning, Fred,

I can't seem to recall hating anyone, but there are some things I hate (hate is a harsh, angry word that is often associated with conflict, so I will use dislike) - one being porridge. Can't seem to swallow the stuff.

I love my kids to the moon and back, but there are certain days or times that I do not like, nor understand, what they are doing. I prefer to separate the person from the action as I believe truly that people are born into this world with good intentions. Behavior is learned and reinforced over time, whether it be negative or positive. It can be as simple as that. So - we can agree to disagree and still call ourselves ostomates. Just, K

Kudos for exhibiting a level of benignity that I can only observe with wonder from a distance of jealous insolvency. 

Hi Fred, I don't hate you, but I am afraid of you. Wearing masks is about "reducing the risk" of spreading the virus. Health authorities and experts around the world are doing their best to get this virus under control and the rest is up to us. If we care about the health of our fellow citizens, we will all do our part. I'm doing mine, not because my government told me to, but because it's the right thing to do. I understand that your constitution guarantees you certain rights, but don't you also have responsibilities as a citizen? We Canadians have certain responsibilities that go along with our rights and freedoms. I am starting to appreciate that there are more cultural differences between our two countries than I ever realized. Perhaps, at least in part, it helps to explain why the U.S. finds itself in such a terrible state with the numbers of cases and deaths due to Covid19.

So yes, I am afraid of you and others who share your views on the pandemic. As your next door neighbour, even with the land border closed to most traffic, we are at increased risk with the virus raging to the south of us. We are having a tough enough time dealing with it on our own.

I wish you, and all of us, good health.

Regards,

Terry

Hi K,   If you ever decide to teach a course in diplomacy, sign me up!  

Cheers,

Terry

Okay Fred,

So, just as you feel you have the ("constitutional"?!) right to do as you please by not wearing a mask (which puts others' lives at risk), I feel I have the right to not have to be anywhere near you. So I get to avoid you. But my high-risk husband has to work to cut your meat so you can have a hamburger or steak from the grocery store, so how about if you just keep your distance and stay away from him? We have seen the science and we accept the facts. And don't expect him to jump to serve your unmasked face to get your steak cut just right. And to his coworker, don't expect him to extend you a helping hand and pick up your slack because you are under the weather after you just had to go to the casino in New Jersey!!! This past weekend. You are exposing your coworkers. Quarantine your butt.

That is not hate, that is common sense. Facts matter.

We all have rights. We just don't all seem to have the same values.

Peace

Dadnabbit