2020: End of the Line
A view of the Martin Goodman Trail taken at Coronation Park in Downtown Toronto.
Ready for takeoff.
Blink. I found myself sandwiched in the center of bustling oncoming traffic, facing east towards a Petro Canada gas station as my quivering lower extremities aimlessly fought to uphold the entirety of my 170-pound frame. The perpetual supremacy put on display by frigid blasts of arctic air, splattering across my facial skin like invisible paint, transformed my face from a blank white canvas into a valentine-esque combination of flushing and flirtatious pink and red.
The ear drum shattering sounds of scorching jet engines, drifting over my rhapsodically glistening eyes at roughly 200 feet in elevation, alleviated the tension that had been injected, like a syringe, into my arms and shoulders. There it was. An Emirates Airbus A380-800 descending from the heavens in seamlessly unifying fashion, making its commanding presence impossible to omit. The ineffable “Bigfoot Five” monster truck-like jet engines (only distinguishable when in the distance), the vigorously militating shark-like dorsal fin, and the unfettered eagle-like wings stabilized on both sides of the aircraft’s main body, had me euphorically inspired.
That is going to be me this year, I prophesied to myself, I am going to fly as high as I have ever flown in my entire life. Unlike this aircraft, however, I was not preparing for descent (not even remotely close). I was preparing to initiate takeoff. As I established absolute authority over the pilot’s position, I thought to myself, 2020, here I come. In 3, 2, 1...
Blink. And there you have it. Quite possibly the most unanticipated, emotionally disheartening, socially dispiriting, condescendingly dreadful, universally disastrous, and quite frankly, financially constraining 365 days to ever pierce its hideous razor-sharp metaphysical presence into the conscious soul of humankind, has officially concluded. Good riddance! Well, that is all folks. Time to proceed onwards and suppress the travesty that was 2020. I hope you all get the chance to read my next blog post. Until then, take care!
Just kidding. Speaking of travesty, ending the post right there would have been a colossal travesty on my part. Big mistake, undoubtedly. Let me further elaborate.
2020, in all actuality, quite meticulously sped by in the blink (or, more precisely, in a few blinks) of an eye, faster than any 300-ton aircraft travelling at 800km/hour could have. However, to doggedly maintain the perversely skewed notion that all 2020 had to offer was grief, sorrow, and heartbreak, would serve as an injustice. A comprehensive examination of a particular subject matter should consist of contrasting perspectives otherwise vital, decisive, and constructive ideas are disparagingly withered away into oblivion.
The divider in this image represents a psychosocially circumscribed barricade. People are able to occupy either the left or the right side of the barricade, which is determined based off their well-founded, subjective, and occasionally instinctive beliefs. For example, many may view the presence of solid concrete on the left side as emblematic of balance and stability, providing inevitable reassurance and confidence. Many may, however, view the presence of flowing water on the right side as emblematic of ambiguity and insecurity, increasing the prevalence of psychological and social hurdles, instituting greater fear and panic of failure and defeat.
Let’s face it, many have a tendency to remain timid and take a “backseat” when their immediate view is obscured by untrodden fragments of bewildering debris. Some have replaced their fictitious fears with compelling fortitude and have proceeded to leap over the socially manufactured barrier into “uncharted waters.” This extensional “leap” is inherently a choice. For many, however, 2020 was a year where there existed an inclination to take the proverbial “leap,” not necessarily because of mere willingness but because of legal, social, and cultural obligation.
Whether it was being renounced from visiting family members cooped up inside nursing homes for months on end or transitioning to an entirely virtual mode of learning and employment, every person on the face of the earth, within the last year, has had to muster up the tenacity to take that “leap.” Some have eradicated their preconceived skepticism by finding a way to remain afloat while others, unfortunately, have sunk to the very core of this deep, dark abyss with each surge of minimal revitalization just not being enough.
This has enshrined me with a sense of admiration. Admiration for the diversity of individual ability and individual execution that persists universally. Even when the objective is identical in a given context, each individual’s innate ability to execute and achieve some level of progress will always remain unique. That is what promulgates efficacious and genuine human connection.
Although, I was confronted with similar unpredictable circumstances, similar to my surrounding neighbors and peers, the slight or substantial fluctuation in the context of their personal predicament, awakened me to the realization that my situation was not nearly as worse as it could have been.
The constant nonchalant affirmation and solace exchanged amongst those I spoke with, even during instances where I believed I was the last person who should have been recieving any sort of consolation, left me humbled. Even a so-called wannabe “tough guy” like me could not have fought back the tears. The generosity and affection were substantially overwhelming. It truly was “uncharted waters” for me.
The manifestation of flourishing human connection can only be feasible when the individuality of others is met with altruism and perennial gratification. This was a lesson none of us were simply handed on a silver platter to inherit and demonstrate (even though many of us would have preferred that). It was a lesson taught through the extraction of that which many of us had taken for granted.
In the end, many lost more than they received in the last 365 days. However, one quality that I, and presumably many others, have readily grasped is fostering an appreciation for all the components that operate cohesively to provide meaning within our combustible daily lives. It is a lesson that will never abandon my conscience as long as my heart continues to palpitate. Even though I may still be positioned in the pilot’s seat soaring high above the clouds today, there will come a day when that aircraft will cease to exist amongst the clouds, and I will no longer be positioned as the pilot. That will be the day my bleary heart will rest for eternity.
