Goodbye 2020, and good riddance

This was a year like no other, and just like everyone else, I’m ready to see it to the door.
When 2020 started, it held so much promise for so many things. And then it turned into a complete dumpster fire, thanks to the COVID-19 virus, which has disrupted nearly every single person on the planet’s lives since mid-March.
Countless people lost their jobs and their way to support their families, while others lost their lives.
We worked hard to support our local businesses, and learned a lot about our communities along the way.
We also learned toilet paper, of all things, is a more important commodity than we’d ever imagined.
All we read and saw on the daily news cycle was COVID, as if everything else in the world just stopped.
Well, at least until the election ramped up.
It not only was the most expensive election in our history, but the end result was a more deeply divided country than ever before.
No matter which side you were on, you have to admit the entire election was a disaster, and we’re still dealing with it almost two months later.
The stress of it all has been relentless, and it’s negatively affected almost everyone.
However, there were some good things in 2020, at least from my perspective.
My job hasn’t killed me (at least not yet), and my family has remained healthy. My grandson is growing and learning and my wife and I recently celebrated our 30th anniversary.
Of course, years down the road, we’ll all probably look back at 2020 as the biggest crapfest of our lives. Even so, we still have much to be thankful for.
Hopefully, with the COVID-19 vaccine on the way, things will turn around in the coming months and everyone eventually can enjoy a more normal life, whatever that even means anymore.
Hopefully, 2021 will be much more positive, but right now, I’m just ready to kick 2020 to the curb.
I’ve never been much on celebrating the New Year holiday, but as the clock counts down on Thursday night, I plan to celebrate by shoving a size 12 boot right up 2020’s backside and kicking it out the door. And, unlike the old saying, I hope the door hits it hard on its way out.
Paul Davis is the outdoors editor, photographer and staff writer for the Daily American Republic. He can be reached at pdavis.dar@gmail.com.