Surviving 2020

By Thomas Feng

December 30^th, 2020

2020 hey? Suddenly the world we thought we knew has been thrown into disarray by a global pandemic. Many of us spent more time than ever watching daily press conferences and let case numbers guide our mood and mental health. We leaned on our friends within a 5km radius, and we were separated from those outside for many months. We found new ways to stay connected, taking on too many new hobbies to pass the time. We learned to live with ourselves, or we did whatever we could to keep ourselves sane. We endured. We survived. We lived.

I'm burnt out to a crisp. I have noticeably stopped most of my reading, writing or creative pursuits the past few months. Each day has felt like an endless climb with no summit in sight. I am only just beginning to process what has happened this year. And I am just grateful for making it through.

Moving House

Michelle and I's convenient shoebox apartment quickly became suffocating as there were no windows, no airflow and no space to move or breathe. The noise from the intersection of two main roads also meant we weren't getting the rest we sorely needed each day.

When inspections began to open, we swiftly made our move into a two bedroom granny flat a few hundred metres up the road. The last couple of months have been reinvigorating, who knew opening windows for some fresh air could help our brains and bodies.

The Community Garden

Joining the local community garden has been a wonderful antidote to the mundanity of working from home and being stuck in an apartment. After attending a few working bees we were offered a plot of our own, which we have grown kale, silverbeet, zucchinis, onions, spring onions, chillis and carrots over the past few months.

It has provided us with a regular excuse to go for a walk and spend some time in a quiet, tranquil space tucked away in our concrete jungle, and occasionally have small chats with other garden members. Being able to focus energy into nurturing a living organism to grow and prosper has been a welcome distraction and brought a small sense of control in a chaotic world.

Making quality time

Being stuck together 24/7 meant there was no shortage of time spent together with Michelle, but we felt our best when we could make space for quality time. That meant having a good ol' chat instead of watching YouTube with dinner, going for a long walk, having a screen-free day, gardening together, playing silly childhood games, or a spontaneous local adventure.

Michelle's embrace and enjoyment from restrictions and having more time for the things she cares about has been supportive encouragement for me to attempt to do the same.

Releasing our frustrations

From leaving the keys in the boot of the car, to breaking a phone, to being on the receiving end of terrible customer service, 2020 was filled with annoying inconveniences. But this year we gave ourselves permission to release rather than suppress. We self-loathed for a night, exacted revenge by writing a bad review on Google, did something nice for ourselves and moved on. Understanding our coping mechanisms and fostering healthier ones should be essential for everyone; it comes in particularly handy in the middle of a global pandemic.

Re-embracing solo time

2020 was a year where I spent more time alone again, and I used that as an opportunity to get more in tune with my own body. I re-learned how to use my left wrist properly, how to shoot a basketball, how to exercise, tried yoga and a bunch of other movement-based activities. I cruised on my bike around the neighbourhood and stopped to soak in a few of my local favourite spots for a healthy dose of gratitude.

Being forced to have no plans meant I had more time for myself for the first time in a few years. And I just tried to make the best of a not-so-great situation.

Neighbourhood friends

Finally, I wouldn't have survived 2020 without a lovely community of friends within my 5km radius. Whether we went for a casual bike ride, a long neighbourly walk, or sat in the park, those brief moments of camaraderie and shared sacrifice over many months mean that we can now hug and embrace each other, go out for a long overdue drink, and even have small celebrations again.

This year has shown me how important and powerful communities are. When we look after each other and lift each other up, we make extraordinary things happen. So thank you for being part of my community, for being patient with me, and for supporting me this year. I hope I've been able to do the same for you whether it was in person, here on my blog or in some other shape or form.