PRIVATE EYE SEZ: 2020 is alright

We could talk about "the year that was" all we want once 2021 rolls around. But I'm not here to recap the headlines by which we measure our progress (or regression) as a society. I'm here to provide a new perspective on the fortunate circumstance in which we currently find ourselves: being alive.

The year is not yet over, but that's part of the reason why I wanted to talk about what I want to talk about. I've spied with my grotesquely large eye a number of people (the majority, actually) who've decided to personally (and publicly) nullify the year that is 2020 - to "cancel" it - supposedly based upon the hardships brought on by recent world events. And whatever amount of ironic humor is behind these incessant declarations simply doesn't balance out the people who truly feel this way about this very specific 12-month period. Well, even if it's in a generalized way, The Private Eye is here to help.

If you or a loved one has taken ill, been the victim of injustice, or become financially unstable, it is your right to process this trauma in any way you see fit, and act accordingly as a result. And even if none of these larger, widespread events have had any effect on your schedule, you're still free to feel angry, sad, confused, resentful, or even entitled. But what I'm telling you is what you already know: we're all free to wear sunscreen, just as much as we're free not to. As people, you're able to digest and adapt to whatever hardships come with living and breathing. There'll be sad songs to make you cry, so what're you going to do about it? There are good things in this world, and there are good things that are specific to your life, and it's up to you to decide what takes precedent.

This isn't about trivializing the horrors of human failings, nor is it about looking at the bright side. This year has been largely about change - and the wonderful thing about change is that it's always changing. Some of these changes have been in your interest, and some have not - so "change" as a concept is not really the culprit; we're all conservatives when it applies to the ideals we'd like to conserve. But if you yourself seek a change in your outlook, there is a level of optimism that comes into play: if you're courageous enough to recognize what's good about life - your life - then take some time and meditate on it. If saving the world doesn't seem like it's immediately attainable, then take a day for yourself, guilt-free. And any other day in which this is the case, follow as directed.

Take the premise of the movie Titanic: two young people find love set against the backdrop of a sinking ship. The world, as it is today (and always has been), is your backdrop - and I don't think it's too dramatic to analogize it with a doomed passenger liner. So, find your Jack or Rose - whoever or whatever that may be. Most of you will find that you already have it - if not, a quest lies ahead of you, and it is a noble one. For some of you, that joy may derive from the self-satisfaction of physical distancing or marching in the streets. If so, then you've already found your calling, and have no blame to simply cast upon the calendar year; you're in it. Social Justice Warriors are content to be a jerk, but they're content. I implore you to find what you love, and if you already have it, spend your time with it. Whatever nightmares you personally encounter, let them, in hindsight, define this year as a time when you grew, you learned, you discovered that you're able to overcome with the aid of who and what you truly value.

- P. Eye