What is it about the events of 2020 that have paralyzed so many to remain stuck in the past and not embrace the promise of the future.
The pandemic, the racial unrest, and the insurrection by fringe elements on Jan. 6 are holding the nation back from a renaissance of optimism, growth, and mutual understanding. Fear of change is a potent force that blinds us to new possibilities. We have lost much in the past year but not all. We forget that beneath our grief is human resilience and a belief that things can and will get better.
Recently the news of the day was briefly interrupted to celebrate an amazing accomplishment. We landed a new probe on Mars. For a moment, I was transported back to another turbulent period in American history. The year was 1968. We suffered through assassinations, riots, and an escalating war in Vietnam. It seemed that the world as we knew it was coming apart. A year later, the glory days of NASA gave us a historic moon landing and the world was riveted by what humankind could accomplish when we put our minds to it.
Fast forward to the year 2020. We were bogged down by a seemingly unending political divide. The election was held and a conclusion was reached. Some still believe the election was rigged by dark forces from the deep state. It is time to turn the page and realize that we can make things good again. There is more we can achieve if we can let go of old grudges and work together to make our dreams real.
FRANK WARMAN
Hopkinton