And so 2020 comes to an end, not with a bang but a whimper, as the poet wrote. There has not been a year like this since the Spanish flu (more rightly called the Kansas flu, as that is where it originated) over 100 years ago. And this pandemic is not done yet.
Modern medicine and safety precautions such as have been observed have prevented a large death loss from becoming overwhelming. Experience and new technology permitted the development of several vaccines in a miraculously short time but it will take at least this year and a gigantic logistical effort before billions of people receive it and the virus disappears. If it does. I am curious how the people who don't believe in evolution can explain the mutation of viruses (or bacteria, for that matter).
Governments that can, are or ought to be, economically supporting individuals and small businesses affected by the pandemic, while they do everything in their power to bring the disease under control. There is no choice between controlling the pandemic and saving the economy. People ARE the economy.
So Tanya and I are alone this New Year's Eve. Lina was here briefly yesterday afternoon, picking up food and dropping off my Christmas gift from Tanya, a lovely painting done by a local professional artist whose husband does the engraving on granite tombstones for Xaron company where Lina works. I grabbed a very quick hug. Tania stopped in last evening to pick up food and drop off empties. First we had seen either of them for weeks.
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| I hung it over my office desk |
So I wish all of my readers a safe and healthy New Year.
That's a lovely painting! Happy New Year to you and Tanya!
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful post - and I adore your Christmas gift.
ReplyDeleteCalvin always makes me smile too.
Here's to a happier, healthier, more hopeful year. For the world.
Debra, thank you. I love the picture.
ReplyDeleteEC, thank you. I love flowers as long as I don't have to grow them. Yes, a more hopeful New Year for the world i9s a fine wish. May it happen.
the painting is so beautiful. Happy new year to you and Tanya. Hope your new year is better than last year.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jackiesue. I hope so too. And for you as well.
ReplyDeleteThe best to you and Tanya. It is our age that brings home the perspective that time with the ones we love is all that matters - we can and have survive the rest. Young people will move on but we will retain this in our mind, because we are conscious our time is short.
ReplyDeletethe Ol'Buzzard
Happy New Year to you and yours too Ol'Buzzard. Too many people have indeed lost too much time away from loved ones this year. I hope 2021 is a happier year.
ReplyDeleteYour painting is really really lovely, I like it so much. Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to see the end of 2020, it has been hard for so many people. I consider myself fortunate, I have food, and a home, and pension money, and I don't have to worry about keeping a job. All I need to make my life complete is mega-hugs from my grandchildren!!!!!
Wishing you and Tanya all the best for 2021, lots of kindness and tolerance and love and peace and a vaccine. Hugs from Canada.
People are indeed The Economy! Some Countries are doing better at supporting their populations thru this than others... their Economies will be reflective of that. Happy New Year, I'm guardedly Optimistic that things will slowly improve during 2021, since the Bar was set pretty low for 2020.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Shammickite. I'm glad you like the painting too. 2021 should slowly improve over 2020, one hopes. We are also fortunate to have roof, pension and food. And I got a very quick hug from our oldest granddaughter last night. She has a month off university and she and her dad came for evening lunch. Quick hugs then distance. Still need a hug from her little sister to be complete. Hugs to you too
ReplyDeleteDawn, Happy New Year. Hard to say how well Ukraine is supporting either its population or its businesses. Not a great deal of money. 2021 will improve slowly over 2020, unless something wholly unexpected happens. No predictions what that could be. After 2020, alien invasions are not out of the question.
What a wonderful painting, and a wonderful gift! We've been lucky to avoid the worst of the pandemic (says she, crossing her fingers). I've often imagined what it must be like for people who have to choose between working in an unsafe environment or feeding their families; especially for those who were already in that situation even before the pandemic hit.
ReplyDeleteI hope the economic recovery after the pandemic is managed carefully. The people are the economy; and the people are also the taxpayers who have to cover the costs of government aid. It will be a delicate balancing act.
Happy New Year - stay well!
Hi, Diane, Certainly the recovery when it comes needs to be managed and government assistance used judiciously. The problem with Keynesian economics is that theoretically governments are supposed to spend when times are tough and bank surpluses when times are good. Unfortunately that can never happen. "Taxpayers" go ballistic and governments love to introduce new programs to get reelected.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like the picture. Stay safe and healthy.