Well… 2020 is about to come to a close. And for many people, it couldn’t come soon enough. Sadly, when we look back on 2020, are we going to be able to think about the incredible things that took place, were experienced, discovered, and happened during the year or will we only be able to remember the impact COVID had on our lives? How are the history books going to capture what transpired these past 366 days (yes… 2020 was a leap year!)

It has been hard to think about or even comprehend what we have witnessed this past year… I sort of have lost track of it all. In a normal year, this is why I look forward to the retrospective specials. It is a way to remember all that happened during the year, including remembering the people that passed away.

In his Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Rent, Jonathan Larson wrote a song that opened the 2nd Act called “Seasons of Love.” The song captures the essence of what makes up a year, a total of 525,600 minutes:

     Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
     Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear
     Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
     How do you measure? Measure a year?      

     In daylights, In sunsets,  
     In midnights, In cups of coffee,
     In inches, in miles,
     in laughter, in strife     

     In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
     How do you measure a year in a life?  

Later in the song, Larson poses that instead of focusing on the things that happened to us, we should remember, celebrate, and appreciate the love we experienced.

There was more love (and caring) in our community in 2020 than I have ever seen. From a renewed appreciation for front-line workers… everyone from doctors and nurses to grocery workers and those that transport supplies to stores. We saw children creating chalk drawings of rainbows and thank you signs, to parents substituting “traditional” birthday parties for drive-by celebrations. All of these and so many others were all displays of love.

What we have gone through in 2020, and will sadly continue to go through for a large part of 2021, is tragic and horrible. All of our lives have been impacted, and unquestionably…some more than others. The fact is that our numbers are going to continue to climb and that is heart-wrenching because there is nothing any one of us can do to stop it. But, if we vow to continue to do our part, each and every day, maybe we can help stop the steady rise of those infected and help start a downturn in 2021.

On behalf of the entire Jewish Federation, we hope you and your family continue to stay healthy and that 2021 is a year filled with only happy memories.