2020: My Year in Remedies

What’s helped you get through this year? I came up with a number of coping tactics and escapes in 2020. I call them my remedies. I started to seek some of these remedies before I knew about COVID-19. in November 2019, my mom died after more than 101 beautiful and graceful years on this planet. A few weeks later, we said “goodbye” to Daisy, our beloved dog of 14 years. The remedies that helped me through those losses were familiar ones: family, music, and poetry.

While still dealing with the losses of late 2019, COVID-19 began its spread and we hunkered into quarantine. I knew I would need to seek more remedies. Here’s a list of the people, places, and things that helped get me through 2020. I suspect many will help me through a good portion of 2021 too. As we wrap up this year and unwrap the next one, I’ll share details about some of these remedies — favorite books, favorite music, and favorite memories of 2020 — in the days ahead.

Mike’s 2020 Remedies

• Dogs

• Books

• Music

• Drawing

• Writing

• Local businesses

• Farmer’s market trips

• Food

• Nature

• The moon

• Bird watching

• And most of all, my family

Despite changes and challenges, I’ve been fortunate and I’m very grateful to be where I am at the end of this unusual year. I hope you are doing well, all craziness considered. I’d love to hear what’s helped you get through 2020.

Dogs, one of my 2020 remedies. What helped get you through this year?