If the year 2020 were a movie, it’d be Rocky. Round after round, we were pummeled as our defenses were breached. It was not pretty. But as the end of the year arrived, the music came up and we celebrated the mere fact that we were still standing. The crowd swarmed the ring congratulating us on our survival, and we collectively held up our hands and told the referee, “There ain’t gonna be no rematch.”
We hope.
For 12 rounds we had been hit from every direction by mysterious diseases, wildfires and nutty politics. The economy skidded into the ditch, throwing millions of people out of work.
Just when things seemed to be getting better, they got worse. It was as though each round was a test.
But we passed the tests, all of them. Time ran out and now they’re over. Done. Kaput.
And we can pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and dive head-first into 2021.
In past years in this space I have made predictions of what the coming year will bring. Once in a while I was even right, although I still look forward to Stayton changing its name to Staytona – you have to admit that it sounds pretty cool.
But this year, I have no glimmer of a clue about what’s ahead. I’d be crazy even to make a wild guess beyond the sun will rise in the east and set in the west. As they say, “My momma didn’t raise no fool.”
Everything has become so unpredictable so much of the time we just seem to be along for the ride.
But I do know this. During the past year, as we absorbed one body blow after another, we got tougher. Our backbones stiffened as we saw ourselves and our neighbors through difficult times.
What I saw from the sidelines was astounding. People who lost everything in the wildfires didn’t skip a beat before they were reaching out to help others. Still others stepped up in a hundred different ways to help those who needed it.
When coronavirus made its ugly comeback, many people just shrugged, put their masks on and when to work. The politicians couldn’t make up their minds about what to do but citizens did their best to avoid the virus and still get on with their lives.
It was impressive, so much so that anyone who has been paying attention would be in awe.
Which brings me back to sports.
It’s been said that playing sports builds character. I don’t really agree with that. Instead, I believe that sports reveal character. The tougher the challenge, the better people respond.
After the year we just went through, I have seen the character the vast majority of Oregonians has displayed, and I’m not worried in the least about the year to come.
As a matter of fact, I know we’re all ready for anything 2021 has to offer. Bring it on!
Carl Sampson is a freelance writer and editor. He lives in Stayton.
