A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which read, “I am blind, please help.” There were only a few coins in the hat – spare change from folks as they hurried past.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. Then he put the sign back in the boy’s hand so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon, the man who had changed the sign returned to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?”
The man said, “I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.” I wrote, “Today is a beautiful day, but I cannot see it.”
Both signs spoke the truth. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind, while the second sign conveyed to everyone walking by how grateful they should be to see.
The year of 2020 has presented us with a rather large sign that reminds us how difficult the year has been. But I believe that we should try to see the year differently - to think about, and be grateful for, all we have in spite of those difficulties. Some of the incredible things that have happened this year, in spite of election turmoil, pandemic, and economic recession include:
- In July, scientists in Australia reported that preclinical laboratory studies of a new cancer vaccine had shown promising signs and are hopeful it could be used to treat blood cancers and solid malignancies including breast, lung, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers, among others.
- In August, a male panda was born in the National Zoo. His mother was the oldest panda to give birth in the US, and the first to be impregnated by a new technology.
- A new study published in June found that doing altruistic acts such as volunteering could help us live longer. People over the age of 50, who volunteer for two hours a week have a substantially reduced risk of mortality, less chance of developing physical impairments and an improved sense of wellbeing compared to those who don’t.
- The work from home model has transformed the way in which many people work, worldwide. Companies found that while skeptical at first that work from home could be successful, they found that their employees were saving commuting time, increasing productivity, and creating a better work-life balance.
- In May, the highly anticipated SpaceX Crew Dragon launch happened. This was the first time a commercial spacecraft has sent astronauts to orbit, creating possibilities for the private sector in space exploration.
The new year is upon us. And with it, new opportunities to not only make positivity in the world, but to continue to be grateful for what we have, what we aspire to, and for the things that bind us in our communities and families.