2020 – At Long Last!

twenty-twenty:
adjective [twen-tee-twen-tee] keenly or acutely perceptive: an opinion based on twenty-twenty hindsight.

We crave different things at different times in our life. When we were young (foolish is implied) it was mandatory to have the best time of the whole calendar year on New Year’s Eve. We set out with gusto and often behaved badly in pursuit of the elusive ‘wildest night of our lives.’

Somewhere near middle age we switched to displaying our enviable prowess by swapping screaming from the rooftops for culinary displays of a discriminating palate. But the desire underneath remained the same: demonstrating our skillset for finding the best, having the best, and being the best.

But our third act commences with less need to impress others (and ourselves) and discovers a desire to stay in, find home and come to ground. Simple pleasures claim first place in our hearts as we transition into happy spectators – watching the younger generation carry the torch into the bacchanalian championships.

Which is not to say we’ve completely abandoned our quest to find, have and be … the most content. We congratulate ourselves on our long view. On recognizing what makes us happy rather than cultivating follies ordained as the ‘way you’re supposed to celebrate.’

And for this we proudly accept our award. The award of knowing we are, at long last, keenly or acutely perceptive in our worldview. We have twenty-twenty vision.

And for one whole year we will write ‘2020’ on checks or notes or the random affidavit and we will smile. Smile at the symbol of our great self-awareness.

2020. At long last.

“This above all, to thine own self be true.”
William Shakespeare

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”
Judy Garland

“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”
Sir Edmund Hillary

“The wise man is one who, knows, what he does not know.”
Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching