2020 has been a crazy and tumultuous year, as we can probably all agree. I remember way back in January, there was already so much on our plates and very cautious celebration for the upcoming year. On New Year’s Eve there was an Iran raid on the American Embassy in retaliation for a U.S. air strike that was in retaliation for the death of a U.S. soldier in an Iran attack. A stabbing had recently occurred at a rabbi’s home in New York City, and a gun shooting at a church near Fort Worth, TX. The Australian wildfires were devastating. Kim Jong Un’s “Christmas present” was threatening no denuclearization if the negotiations didn’t go his way, and we were in the midst of a trade war with China! Yet all these very serious events were completely forgotten once COVID-19 came along. I’m very grateful that we have dedicated people working around the clock to develop a vaccine in record time and devoted healthcare workers who have put their lives on the line. All in all, the end of this year will likely be cause for much celebration (and relief).

While this year left no one untouched, I am grateful that I have often had the luxury of isolating myself from the social media and constant bad news (mostly by being preoccupied with grad school apps), and the quarantine fatigue I went through was much better than what many others suffered. I’m grateful that I can go outside and not have to worry about getting hacked to death with machetes (as has been happening in Ethiopia) or getting pulled over and sent to jail or even shot or choked to death by police (as happened to George Floyd and countless others). I’m grateful that I live in a democracy with the foundation built to deliver a peaceful transition of power despite a president who will do whatever it takes to thwart that. I’m grateful that I live in a country where people can worship freely without fear of religious persecution.

I’m grateful for having an apartment to stay in, with heating and electricity and WiFi and running water and indoor plumbing (which we seriously take for granted — in my job, I’m seeing how some financially strapped cities can’t even afford to maintain their wastewater infrastructure, and I just read an article yesterday highlighting a continuing problem of wastewater overflowing stormwater pipes and being discharged into rivers. In many rural places, people still don’t have adequate infrastructure for wastewater treatment!). I’m grateful that I work for a company that does good work for the environment and made the transition to work from home seamless, and that I can continue doing workouts from my room through channels like AloMoves and YouTube. I’m grateful that I can continue to borrow books from the library.

I’m grateful that many of my friends and family are doing well and have managed to stay healthy. I’m thankful that I have had supportive professors and supervisors who are willing to write recommendation letters for me and who really want me to succeed.

I’m grateful that I am living with two amazing and supportive roommates and that we can cook and enjoy Friendsgiving together — my first vegan Thanksgiving meal! I am hopeful that with many people ditching the turkey this year in their small gatherings (who actually likes turkey anyway?), the future of food will continue to trend towards more plant-based foods, for the good of our health and our planet. I’m grateful that more people are starting to care about the environment and put pressure on our leaders to put their money where their mouth is, and I’m optimistic about the innovative work that is being done to address our climate crisis.

I hope that you will also take some time to reflect on the ups and downs of this year and discover the many things we have to be grateful for, no matter how difficult this year was for you. The more we practice an attitude of gratitude, the more we cultivate contentment within ourselves and compassion and empathy towards others, and the more we can develop fruitful relationships that enrich all aspects of our lives.