IT GOES ON.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. We have arrived at the point in The Year Like No Other with enough ennui to fill Ford Field to the rafters. To say that this year has been a relentless Shit Show is the understatement of the century. It has been a kaleidoscope of out-of-control fires, nasty weather events, a surging, insidious virus and a suffocating political rancor that hangs over everything like a giant black cloud. Needless to say, it has been a Tidal Basin of Not Good.

The fact of the matter is that we all have something to be thankful for. We all have people in our circle who make a difference and who need to be recognized and appreciated, and this Thanksgiving seems to be the perfect time to do that. For a lot of people, gathering will not be possible, but contacting the people who matter in your life at this very moment in time might be the most giving thing we can do. 

We all have to remember that life is hard for a lot of people, and this pandemic has made it even more so. The hoary saying “count your blessings” is never more relevant than it is right now. The fallout from the impact of the virus has decimated livelihoods, entire industries have been destroyed or irrevocably altered, and the collateral human damage has been heartbreaking.

And the fact is that none of it can be swept under the rug, either. This year, this miserable 2020, has been and will continue to be in our faces until it ends, and even then, the stench of The Year Like No Other will linger well into 2021. 

Despite that crushing laundry list of bad tidings, we have reason for renewed hope and understanding. Granted, the idea of optimism at this juncture seems to be a quaint – and utterly useless – notion, but wallowing in The Darkness doesn’t seem to accomplish anything either.

Again, we have plenty to be thankful for. The men and women on the front lines of this ongoing virus crisis cannot be thanked enough. It is just not possible to adequately convey our appreciation for what they do, the relentless dedication they display day after day as they care for our loved ones is just staggering to contemplate. And our teachers, who in the face of daunting challenges insist on doing what they love to do, are examples for all of us as to how to conduct ourselves. And there are countless others in our lives whom we encounter, the police and fire personnel; the postal workers; the delivery people; the people who power our grocery and convenience stores. It’s easy to take all of these people for granted, but after what we’ve endured this year that should never be the case again.

And last but certainly not least, the men and women in our military who dedicate themselves to a higher calling every single day on our behalf. Words of thanks are simply not adequate for what they do, but they need to know that they are appreciated and we are deeply thankful for each and every one of them.

The one thing that I think is worth taking away from what has been a remarkably miserable year is that life as we know it must go on. We must persevere and make every moment count, because to succumb to the constant thrum of bad tidings is not a value-added pursuit. We must soak in those moments – a beautiful sunrise, a reason to laugh and smile, a warm feeling in our hearts, etc. – no matter how fleeting they might be, in order to appreciate the gifts that we have. 

No, life isn’t easy. Especially this life in 2020. But life can and should be savored as much as we can. Appreciate things. Appreciate people. Appreciate loved ones. Appreciate what we have and leave those things that we don’t have on the side of the road, because ultimately it doesn’t matter.

Remember this one simple thing: Life goes on, so, let’s make the most of it. I’m happy to defer to Robert Frost at this point: 

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." 

-Robert Frost

I hope you and yours have a peaceful Thanksgiving.