What I’m Grateful for This Year

by Christine Kinori

Most of us can agree that 2020 has not exactly been kind to us. It has definitely been an extremely tough year filled with moments that left us feeling drained in every way possible Let us be honest, by the time May swung around, we were pretty much done with 2020. By this time it felt like 2020 continued to give us knock-out punches long after we had already passed out. Many people lost their jobs, lost family and friends because of COVID-19 and the world as we knew it toppled over with no warning. In the midst of all these things, I realized as much as 2020 took a lot, it also gave just a little back. This year, I am learning to appreciate the little and focus on that. Here are the things I am grateful for this year.

HEALTH

This year made me appreciate my health more than ever. I never realized how important it is for me to remain as healthy as possible so I can take care of my family and friends. Normally I did just the bare minimum and carried on with my day. I am grateful that my family and I are healthy and that we are all doing our part in taking care of each other. I came to understand that it is not enough to only think about my health, but that of my neighbors and a million other people I have never met. I am thankful that I am healthy because everyone around me did all they can to keep it that way It saddened me that many people lost their loved ones this year due to the pandemic. Health is indeed wealth and I am never taking it for granted again.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

In a time where the world was so uncertain, I am glad that my family still remained my rock. The lockdown allowed me to have many wonderful moments with my close family. Being unable to leave the house and staying together was stressful but it was the first time in a long time I got to really be present in the moment with my family. Normally, we would be running off to work, social events and living very separate lives with only periodical check-ins. This year, I got to spend more time with my dad and with my daughter. There was no schedule and rush to get anywhere. In the end, I feel like I have a new appreciation for my family and we were able to understand each other more. Being forced to quarantine together was no easy feat, but I am glad that I have been blessed enough to have people to survive with during a lockdown, it would not have been fun if I was alone. I was also able to have meaningful and real conversations with friends through social media. It was amazing seeing how my friends were always willing to help each other. If it was not for my friends and family, I think my mental health would have suffered so much this year.

THE LOCKDOWN

This may sound weird, but if I am being real, the lockdown had a silver-lining for me. There have been things that I have always wanted to do but never had the time because I was too tired from other obligations. During the lockdown, I was able to find time to do some of these things. I also got the time to reflect and try out things that I never thought I would ever do. It felt like the calm during the storm and I am grateful that I learnt new hobbies and rediscovered myself. I actually had enough time to simply read a book from cover to cover. In general, the lockdown gave me a chance to slow down, breathe and re-evaluate how I view life. I realize it is more than just hustling and the struggle. I appreciate that it gave me time to understand I need to enjoy the journey as well.

BTS

Yes, I am grateful I discovered BTS during the pandemic. They played a major role in my mental health as well. I find all their music and all they are — refreshing. The more I researched about them, the more I fell in love with them. Their content is just so wholesome and funny. I find myself smiling more and just enjoying their various videos. I got to make new #BTSArmy friends from different parts of the world because of them. It made me realize how music can heal and bring people together. It also taught me that no matter where we are from, we are all human, we all have the same fears and joy. We are all going through something and we can be there for each other if we only try. I feel inspired that music is actually being used to help the world.

TECHNOLOGY

I cannot imagine how tough this pandemic would have been on us if we had no internet. Technology has really helped me to stay in contact with my distant family and friends. The fact that I could connect with them with just a touch of a button gave me some peace of mind. If I had to wait for weeks to hear from them through a letter like back in the old days, I would have suffered from a lot of anxiety. I also would not be able to work because my job literally depends on the internet. Technology has been a great source of comfort and made me feel close to my relatives even though I couldn’t be there in person. I am definitely glad I was born in this era.

Hopefully things will look up and we will be able to get back to a semblance of normal soon. I know people have really had a tough time but I hope they can focus on the few good things they have experienced this year. My grandmother always says, “As long as you are alive, there is a blessing.” We will get through this and I hope we can all go for drinks and reminisce about 2020 in a few years to com . As for me , I am already planning on how I will tell my grandkids about surviving the pandemic.

About the Author:

Christine Siamanta Kinori grew up in a little village in Kenya known as Loitoktok near the border of Kenya and Tanzania. All she wanted to do when she grew up was to explore the world. Her curiosity led her to join Nairobi University to pursue a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She later got a job with an amazing travel magazine Nomad Africa which gave her the opportunity to explore Africa. She also writes for numerous travel websites about Africa and tries to create a new narrative in the media about our aesthetic continent.

Christine claims to have somewhat unhealthy addiction to TV and reading, as it is a fun way to keep herself occupied during the long journeys for her travel writing. She is also a believer of letting people be their beautiful selves. To her, love is love and it is the greatest gift we have as humans.