words Zahwah Bagharib

It’s either we find out one day, or we’d never find out at all -- but I think there is a reason why this year happened. It was the year the world came to a sudden halt, and we were forced to shift the way we live. But I think it also shifted the way we think about life.

I never knew how much I took for granted until 2020.

A lot of things hit me this year but what hit me most was that life is really in the little things. I didn’t realise how much I could miss a hug from a friend, a simple family gathering or just stepping out of the house without a mask. Wow, looking back, so much has changed since December last year. Remember when we counted down to 2020? Who would have thought that we’d be here today? Though the optimistic side of me wishes to believe that this year wasn’t as bad as I thought it was.

I think 2020 changed me.

I think I learnt to appreciate the little things and the people around me a lot more. I remember missing having actual conversations with people in person, especially during the Circuit Breaker period, or just being with my extended families and friends. But what really stood out to me was when life started to move at a slower pace -- I was actually okay with that. I enjoyed having more time to sit down and reflect, and to realign some of my goals and priorities in life. In a nutshell, to me, this year allowed me to pause and count my blessings, instead of thinking about how doomed the year really felt like.

A lot of things might not have gone right this year, but I believe it would pave ways for better things to come. With that being said, if you’re reading this and reflecting on your 2020, no matter how it was for you, I hope you give yourself a huge pat on the back for surviving such an unprecedented year.

For me, I’m coming out of it alive and healthy with a newfound appreciation for the little things in life -- so I don’t think I could ask for anything more.