2020: oh, what a year.
Every year on our blog, we usually spend late December looking back on what happened over the last year and highlighting any exciting developments at App47 or in the mobile application management market. However, fitting with a pattern for 2020, I’m taking a different approach this year.
This year has been hard for many of us. Those we’ve lost; those who have battled COVID-19 directly; our front line workers who have put their own personal lives behind the better good of society; those who have lost their jobs due to restrictions put in place. It’s all been a little hard to wrap our heads around.
Oh, yeah–we had a close election, too.
As an entrepreneur, by nature, I tend to continually consider “the other side.” What would change if we looked at a problem from another perspective? I won’t say, “the better side,” as it’s hard to look for a better side of losing a loved one, as so many people have this year. But, taking a step back and looking at 2020 through a different lens, I’ve asked myself whether this year has given us anything aside from more strife than we’re used to dealing with.
For example: my ability to visit customers and prospects this year was reduced to zero. However, I didn’t have to travel once a week, spending hours in airport lounges, Ubers, and hotel rooms. I miss meeting my customers face-to-face, but value the additional time I’ve gotten with my family.
Our kids received their elementary education over Zoom, and didn’t get to play sports. On the flip side, I got to have lunch with them most days, since I was also working from home. During the summer, we even cracked open board games that had previously been untouched for years and had some great game nights with our family.
And finally, for Thanksgiving, we celebrated with just our immediate family, so I missed the chance to spend time with my parents, brothers and sisters, and their families. We did a FaceTime call, but as I’m sure you know, it just wasn’t the same. It did make me think of the years in the past when I’ve been reluctant to attend Thanksgiving because of the time with the whole family, and the chaotic discussions that tend to ensue.
This year made it painfully clear to me that that feeling is short-sighted. You never know when you might be celebrating the last Thanksgiving with a loved one, and this year has showed how important it is to always enjoy the time you have with family and friends. I know I’ll be keeping that in mind moving forward.
One thing is for sure: my family, and all of us here at App47, are really looking forward to 2021, as we know that things can only get better from here. While there is certainly much to be sad about reflecting back on 2020, I think there are also plenty of reasons to be hopeful, and this year has really emphasized how important it is to enjoy the time you have with friends, family, and other loved ones.
We look forward to continuing to update our blog with the start of the New Year, and hope that you, too, can look back on this year–challenging as it was–and find something to be grateful for.
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Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
