2020: Year of Big Changes
The Year 2020 started with much excitement and hope. “20/20” often connected with the vision of a normal person gave the impression that the year will bring clarity to many issues. And that will eventually give us better solutions to many human problems. So nations and people entered the year 2020 with confidence and determination. But things took a turn towards worse when the virus affected the entire globe. Towards the close of the year, there are 82Million cases and 1.8Million deaths worldwide. The last-minute roll-out of the vaccine gives us a sigh of relief. Now, we are approaching the New Year with expectation and anticipation. Every one hopes 2021 will be better.
The COVID pandemic changed the way we managed our lives and our outlook on life. Lock Downs, Travel Restrictions, Social Distancing, Remote Working, Zoom meetings, Online Classes, all became normal. People ended going to Movie Theaters, Bars, Sports Events & Political Rallies. They stopped eating out and opted for homecooked meals. A lot of people switched to online Banking and virtual doctor appointments. Social gatherings became minimal. Birthday Parties, Graduation Ceremonies, Weddings, Holiday Parties all became private events with 5-10 people. Most affected are the Churches, the Synagogues & the Temples. People opted for Zoom meetings and live stream. ‘Fellowship’ became ‘loving from a distance’. Worship and devotion to God became a personal affair rather than a corporate event.
Remote working and working from home changed our house set up and design. Homes must be a place to live, a place to work, a place for entertainment, a place for quarantine if someone becomes sick. Space to work and a place for children to study requires high-speed internet, Reliable Cell phone Coverage, furniture, a quiet atmosphere, and other facilities. Working from home increased productivity. But reduced the quality of study for children who took online classes. Lack of extra-curricular activities adversely affects a student’s social skills and their physical health.
People became more health-conscious. They practiced social distancing, started wearing masks, and used sanitization. That reduced sickness and seasonal ailments. Hospitals postponed elective surgery and other medical procedures. Homemade food was a better alternative to an unhealthy fast-food meal. Spending more time at home gave them time to read and write. They were active on social media. Became more involved in current affairs and politics. A downside of that was people were reading too much conspiracy materials or watching many fake news channels. Some turned out radicalized or became angry or got frustrated.
We hoped for a normal 20/20 vision. But the year was a real eye-opener.
