The Year That Was – The Year That Will Be

As the year 2020 draws to a close, we have much to reflect on.

This has not been a happy time for many reasons. It was a year of seemingly unending economic, social, environmental, and climate-related disruptions.

We saw wildfires, hurricanes, floods, drought, and other extreme weather events that devastated communities across the nation and destroyed homes, businesses, and families.

But most challenging was the utterly unexpected pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus, which has disrupted our economy, and which is taxing our health-care systems almost to the breaking point.

Sadly, too many of us have felt the pain from the loss of a family member or a friend. And the grieving continues even as a potential cure seems to have been found.

The pandemic is testing us in many ways – factories closing, businesses shuttered, jobs lost, incomes vastly reduced.

But we are surviving.

And the key to our survival is that we came together to support one another and to do whatever was necessary to overcome the dangers and to comfort the suffering.

Our political leaders at the local, regional, and national levels responded to the many challenges that came with the pandemic, and they took the hard decisions that were required.

Some of these decisions were not popular, but they were necessary to keep our society functioning.

As we look forward to the new year, we do so with hope and determination to build back better, to build stronger, and to be more resilient.

Of course, changing the calendar does not reset the reality that we have faced this year, and which will follow us into 2021.

The Globe community has always believed that environmental problems were the basis for new opportunities.

This fact is more relevant today than ever before as we struggle to recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic and strive to build a more resilient and less carbon-intensive future for our children.

Witness the unprecedented record of achievement to develop the vaccines that ultimately will protect us all from the virus that has destroyed so much.

There will be more challenges ahead,  but we will be better be prepared for whatever the future might bring our way.

So as we enter the darkest days of this very trying winter, we extend our thanks to everyone.

But we owe a special debt of gratitude to those on the front line of the crisis – the medical and other healthcare workers that risk their own lives every day to care for the sick and to support those unable to care for themselves.

They are the heroes of today and the guardians of tomorrow.

Thank you, and God Bless you.