2020: The Year That Got Away?

I am 95 percent sure, gotta leave room for a margin of error, that if you polled anyone in the country, perhaps even the world, they would say that 2020 was a rather unfortunate, to be generous, year. From deaths by the thousands to triumphant and impassioned assembly of civic engagement, the roller coaster of 2020 provided that we always had something to talk about, something to share on our social media platforms, and plenty of cinematic content to binge, and books to sink into. But, nonetheless, even though the year was rather dismal in many aspects, many of us, fortunate enough, can say that we lived through a rather historic year in American history that our children and grandchildren will read about in their primary and secondary history classes. But, with every obstacle, there is a lesson behind it. So, let’s recap.

In the middle to latter months of 2019, this highly contagious and highly fatal virus allegedly escaped a wet market in Wuhan, China, emanating from a bat. As the year came to a close, the virus had ravaged the streets and communities in both Wuhan and its surrounding cities, ultimately freezing all signs of human activity on the once-busy streets of China. As the beginning months of 2020 emerged, the virus began to trickle into other countries, including the United States. At its lowest, the virus infected around 50 people, but then eventually spread to millions, and counting. Ultimately, we would find that one of the greatest and most equipped countries in the world, wasn't necessarily equipped to handle the effects of a global pandemic that left millions unemployed, families starving and homeless, and thousands of individuals mourning the loss of loved ones with whom they shared countless memories. While we witnessed so much dismay and trauma, arguably, the biggest flaw of the American response was uncovered: the incongruence of messaging, and the cleavages of two versions of America that are inherently dissonant with each other.Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

Coming in, almost as a second act, in the heat of the summer, was America’s re-reckoning with its past, and suddenly racial dynamics in this country came to center-stage. In May, the world fastened to their phones, watched in dismay, as a video of a Minneapolis police officer was seen with his knee affixed to a 46-year old man by the name of Geroge Floyd. While this video wasn’t the first of its kind, where a law enforcement officer and an African-American were in a tense altercation, this case was seemingly the last straw for many Americans. Millions across the country and the globe assembled and marched to realize equity in policing, all while wearing stuffy masks in hopes to remain healthy and not contract COVID-19, the antagonist of this story. Although George Floyd and 23-year old woman Brianna Taylor may have ignited recent frustrations on race in America, we uncovered yet another wound that has never healed, race relations in America, and the unfortunate realization that many minorities and their trust in law enforcement is similar to that of oil in water. Two variables that never mix.

Does it seem like a lot yet?

I get it, and if you’ve stopped reading to preserve your mental health, I get it as well.

But, if you need to continue, let’s toss in a historical and consequential election in the mix, shall we say the narrator of this tragedy. Now, presidential races are already long and grueling processes involving hundreds of campaign stops, millions of donor solicitations, and rhetorical sparring matches on national television. So, we already knew an election was imminent, arguably two to three years before, we just did not know how it was going to play out. On one side, you have a poised and undefeatable symbol of “America First”, but on the other side, the Democrats, you've got a historically large field trying to combat and defeat an incumbent president. Debate after debate, primary after primary, candidates who identified as Democrats would drop out of the race, ultimately leaving, unconventionally, the field to one candidate, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, who would make a historic pick for Vice President Kamala Harris. The general election would come along, and debates would occur, but the flaw of our Union was magnified even more, with both sides Republican and Democrat painting two different visions for our country that didn't seem, at first listen, to include the other side. 

So, we signed the dotted line on such a tumultuous year, and filed it away like an embarrassing demerit at school or work that we never want to see again. But, the lessons we learned from 2020 remain timeless and transformative. Firstly, we learned that regardless of our beliefs, when it comes to something so constant such as a deadly virus, who knows no socioeconomic status or race, we cannot allow ourselves to develop contrasting messages. Secondly, Americans have been accustomed to so many liberties, that we feel almost territorial, like a lioness and her cub, of our freedoms, and that alone is inspiring regardless of why you protect it. Lastly, we learned the importance of togetherness and unity to support our fellow neighbor. From the many food box donations to starving families, to the free donuts or lunches for a frontline worker who is weary from the day, we utilized the tool of togetherness. We initiated our humanity and we joined to activate the resiliency that is inherent to our American spirit. While we took some wounds, and still have some unhealed, the year that got away didn't really go away and it shouldn’t, it should serve as reminder and reinforcement of who we are; so that, we may never journey on a similar road in the old hoopty that we drove in 2020.


The thoughts outlined in this text are the expressed thoughts of solely Troy Crittendon, and do not represent the stances of any organization or entity. Any duplication of this text without the appropriate writing credit or the expressed consent thereof is considered unlawful.

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