Attitude of gratitude: stories I wrote in 2020

We made it. You and I. We trudged through the hardships of 2020. It wasn’t easy and at times, we thought we’d lose our minds. But we hung in there. With family, friends and endless Zoom meetings, we kept breathing, facing forward and walking. Sometimes, all we can do is keep walking. Putting one foot in front of the other again, again and still again until you realize you’re in a different time and place from where you were.

Now we’re here. We are weary, but we are alive.

My friends, we marveled in the sparkling lights of New Years Day fireworks at the stroke of midnight. Auld Lang Syne, crossover services and all, the entire world is now hoping that this year will be better than the last.

If you’re reading this today, that means you’ve grown at least an inch in courage because it took courage to go through 2020’s challenges. Challenges makes us stronger, so I’m grateful for the opportunities to grow in strength. Strength yields resilience. That’s the gritty, gluey force that holds us together, keeping us from falling apart in life’s turbulent storms.

Last year was a very tough time for journalists around the world, specifically for independents and creatives like myself. Some entities, like Rory Peck, National Geographic and Format, offered financial hardship support to help us cope or…