How will we remember 2020?

It was the year when the earth healed. The sky cleared, the waters became bluer, wild animals revisited their original habitats, bird species thought extinct were seen in city streets, and aquatic animals once again swam freely in waterways.

It was the year when music stopped in arenas and concert halls but emerged in balconies and homes as people found community in singing and making music.

It was the year of reconnecting as multiple families, old friends and previously neglected relationships got together to update, to converse, to wine and dine virtually, to dance.

It was the year of reflection as the hassle and bustle of daily existence turned to quiet calm.

It was the year of renewal, when the demand for distance and isolation brought forth stark reminders of one's priorities and what really matters.

It was the year for expanding one's horizons -- virtually-- as webinars, podcasts, talks by experts, museum tours, travel documentaries as well as streaming movies and dramas transported us to worlds we didn't have the time to explore before.

And yes, it was also a year of righteous rage, constant grief and good trouble, the intensity of which has led to significant changes that should usher in a better tomorrow.

Despite the pain of the pandemic and the sorrow of lost lives, we end the year with hope for a better 2021 and with faith that the cycle of life will continue as it has through the ages.