This is a year for the memory books: 2020. Jokes have been made. Tears have been shed. Isolation has tried souls. Job losses and heart breaks. Tyrannical governments testing power, control, and compliance. Etc. And then the toilet paper shortages started, which is still happening here in Utah. Toilet paper was replenished during the Summer, but when Governor Herbert announced restrictions and mandates, going against promising to never rule as a police state, and even stating that no household could have outside visitors, there was a rush on toilet paper all over again. Other items are fine. Just the toilet paper was scavenged and devoured.
2020 has become the year of being thankful for the little things, especially the things we take for granted all the time. Toilet paper... when Socialists overtook Venezuela there were stories of toilet paper shortages before other shortages began. I remember thinking it odd that TP would be one of the first items to go, and so it always stuck in the back of my mind. And then sure enough when our crises struck TP was one of the first things to go. Ironic or coincidence? And... I can make so many potty jokes in regard to this, but I'll refrain. Toilet paper seems so simple. An everyday item. An item of convenience, comfort, necessity, without which life would suddenly become more cumbersome. In the early days of the pandemic I remember a billboard advertising a radio station giveaway: "A Bidet a Day!" the sign read. I laughed until it was no longer funny.
I've learned to appreciate the little things even more this year. To appreciate the small moments and be grateful. Now, I'm not one of those who subscribes to the idea of "the new normal." I roll my eyes and shake my head with sadness whenever the phrase is spoken or read. I'm an inquisitive skeptic, always looking at data and asking questions such as, "How many asymptomatic cases are really just false positives?" and so forth. I don't want to live in a society where we will perpetually be asked to "mask up." We're on the edge. It's possible. Those who claim to follow science are really following ideologies.
I'm getting off topic, and this is supposed to be a thankful post. This is actually Day 7 of a week long challenge. (It's all the built up frustration spilling over, so I apologize). What I'm trying to say is that I am thankful for the little things. I don't want to take anything for granted, especially toilet paper. But also food and other necessities. We get so caught up with life that there are so many things we take for granted. But I'm also thankful for the freedoms we have. For liberty, which I will always hold dear and stand up for our right to maintain. For freedom of thought. Knowledge. Truth. Critical thinking and inquisitiveness. I will never stop asking questions, and when information is getting censored or people demonetised it will only cause me to dig deeper and ask more questions. I'm thankful for that right and for agency, which I will always champion.
And this has been a whole lot more serious than originally anticipated. This blog entry was supposed to be lighthearted, silly even, but my heart took over.
So until next time,
Truth Will Out,
Sarah
(This challenge is inspired by President Nelson's challenge to share Gratitude everyday for a week on social media.)
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