Believing in a Better 2021

I asked Sonia for some topics for pages. I run into dry spells when my muse deserts me. Sonia suggested a piece on my views of 2021. Oh, Lordy... ok. Here it goes.

Looking forward to 2021?

Right now people are looking forward with great trepidation. What is going to happen on the political scene? What is going to happen with the virus? And how about the economy? Global warming? Age-related macular degeneration? How about all of that?

Political scene

I do not have a crystal ball. I have no better an answer than you have to any of those questions. I may not be right, but my answer is I choose to believe. I choose to believe our democracy will survive and even thrive. I have seen people waiting in the hot sun and rain for hours to vote. Vote! Not to revolt. The system works and we can make it work for us. Those people know that.

And today when I was in town, I noticed the lawn signs had mostly disappeared. The pundits say we are a deeply divided nation. Possibly true, but this week I will see clients who are either elated or crushed by the results of the election... or maybe they don’t really care. We will go on with the business of growth and healing the same as we have done before. As a community, we go back to normal and live to disagree another day.

The virus

The virus? I have no idea what is going to happen there either. All I know is we as a species have weathered plagues for our entire existence. This is nothing new. What is new is all of the stay-at-home options for work and shopping and socialization we now have that we did not have in 1918. We also have amazing scientists and doctors who are working as hard as they can to make a difference.

Editor's note: Since this article was written, two COVID-19 vaccines were approved by the FDA.

The economy

Then there is the economy. Again, I have no clue. I just choose to believe if we got through the Great Depression, this too is surmountable.

Climate change

Looking back at my list, global warming is next. Don’t look now but industry is already on that one. Have you seen the commercials for electric cars? I saw an announcement about the development of a new, lighter, more efficient solar panel a few weeks back. And here at the house, I splurged and ordered an electric heat pump for the pool. Natural gas was available but natural gas is not renewable and pollutes. Coal and gas with their big carbon footprints are on the way out. Markets are moving that way almost as a matter of course.

Macular degeneration

Now what might be heaviest on your mind, macular degeneration. If you have been following my pages,you know we are on the verge of developing the first, proven treatment for dry AMD. That honor may go to one of several drugs in development. Discoveries in retinal disease are occurring at an incredible pace. This is the best time in the history of the world to be going blind!

Believing

So, when all is said and done, I choose to believe. Just like those who came before me, I believe that darkness will yield to light. I believe that goodness will prevail over evil. I believe there is a way forward. All we need to do is choose to believe.

And that is my take on 2021. Choose to have a Happy New Year!