Goodbye, 2020

2020 will be remembered like other benchmark years in history – 1918, 1941, 1968, 1972 – but usually those years are remembered for just one or two events.

2020 will be remembered for COVID-19 which occurred throughout most of the year. Terms like social distancing, active cases, Zoom meetings, Zoom graduation, asymptomatic and flattening the curve became our norm.

Many other wild and crazy things happened in 2020. Here are some of the other major events. Wildfires, the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash, the impeachment of President Donald Trump, the stock market’s crash in March and subsequent rebound, murder hornets, the deaths of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Alex Trebek.

But the year did end on a positive note as the COVID-19 vaccine began to be rolled out.

The following local people answered the Observer’s question: What do you want to say goodbye to from 2020?

“Of course COVID, I am ready for our doors to be open because we have been locked down and just to see people will be nice.” – Judy Perry

“Wearing a mask.” --Shelia Newell

“All the restrictions, such as not being able to be with loved ones in the hospital or nursing homes. All the hate and division over every little thing. Let people do their own things and believe what they want without bullying them if they don’t think the same way as you. We all just need to walk away from the little things instead of blowing everything out of proportion.” – Amber Wilke

“I am always glad to get rid of the old year and look forward to the next year being better.” – Clark Huff

The one thing that I want to leave behind are the regulations and the negativity. 2020 did not bring a whole lot of happiness, from loneliness, hoarding and fires. Praying 2021 brings some happiness.” – Dawn Patterson

“Goodbye to the fear of being social, of being close to our neighbors and friends. Welcome back to hugs.” – Keith Prunty

“Division of all kinds.” – Amie Rutledge

“I would like to leave everything from March-December in 2020.” – Sarah Stull

“I would love everyone to remember that the past is past and future is forward. Leave behind all the ugliness and negativity and hostility and hatred everyone has acquired more of since COVID-19 and if we could leave COVID in 2020.” – Gretchen Spitz

“I am happy to bid farewell to division of people over rhetoric and illness and race and politics; happy to say goodbye to 35 extra pounds my bones now rejoice in not lugging about; happy to say goodbye to a 100 year-old urinal in our bar, assaulting our noses; happy to say goodbye to $85,000 in debt after paying off our laundry equipment; happy to say adios to more ignorant reals of thought.” – Nate Entingh