Here’s to a new year

A
s we begin 2021 I feel pretty confident in saying that no
one is taking for granted anything after the year we just experienced. 
I’m sure I’m not alone in bidding a fond farewell to the last 10 months and as we start anew, being cautiously optimistic about what lies ahead. 
We just finished with a much needed break from the rigorous demands of COVID-affected school and sports, and I know that I took full advantage of being unplugged and unmasked in my home and amongst family and close friends. 
Two weeks was just what I needed to once again feel invigorated and ready to take on what comes next, and on Monday got myself ramped up for both my classroom and for the court as I prepped for quarter three and watched my Dogies and Lady Dogies play hoops in Worland. 
Although neither team won their game against the Warriors, both played well
considering that the Warriors are nearly the unanimous pick for winning the state tournament this year, and the Lady Warriors are ranked third behind Mountain View and Douglas, who are both very talented teams.
I thought it apropos that our teams kicked off 2021 with two of the toughest teams in 3A given the struggle 2020 was, and my take on the contests was that 2020 may have just seasoned us up a little bit.
Despite being faced with definite adversity, our teams rose to the challenge, fought from start to finish, and never rolled over and gave in to the juggernaut that was their opponent. Not that either team did any of those things before, but it was great to see that spirit continue to flourish.
I also found it inspirational as we begin this new year. 
Obviously, leaving 2020 behind does not mean we are leaving the coronavirus behind. It is here to stay and our world will continue to look different. I’m not sure if things will ever return to the “normal” they once were, but I do know that we, as a species, have and will continue to adapt and thrive under whatever circumstances we are dealt.
Transitioning to a new calendar year is always symbolic as an opportunity to start over, and many of us set New Year’s resolutions or maybe set goals for ourselves. 
I personally stopped making resolutions some time ago because I invariably fell short of achieving them, however I always feel a little renewed and certainly hopeful as I rip off the month of December from my calendar. 
There were wonderful moments intermingled with the bad last year, and finding the silver linings became much more important to me. Upon reflection, I would also venture to say that the silver lining attitude brought about a pretty impactful change in me. 
The year we left behind was rough but hopefully it made us all a little stronger. Nothing good ever comes easy, so with that in mind, I’m hoping that a lot of good will eventually emerge from 2020 and I am looking to 2021 to be the beginning of that something good.