2019 has been a heck of a year. Not only did I graduate from high school but I also had to move out of home before I could even sit my final exams. It feels like this year has just been a series of obstacles and setbacks. I’ve had to transition into adulthood before I was fully ready for it. I had to deal with cutting off family (out of necessity), feelings of isolation and being in a completely different environment during the holiday season.
Holiday Season Without Family
I think the hardest period to get through has been Christmas which I’ve had to spend with other peoples’ families. While everyone has been extremely generous and welcoming, there is a bittersweet feeling. Regardless of how kind people are, I’m always aware that I’m not really a part of their family. I couldn’t help but feel like an imposter at times.
And that’s not to say that I am not grateful and appreciative of how thoughtful everyone has been but it’s still hard. Regardless of how well meaning people are, I am still the stranger. I am the unknown and so it is instinct, even while welcoming me, for people to interact more with their own family (especially during Christmas).
Even in saying that and experiencing the loneliness and isolation of being without family during Christmas, it’s still probably the best Christmas I’ve ever had, simply because I’m finally in a safe, stable environment. I am no longer tip toeing around land mines or living in fear of the next tantrum. I am finally in a place where I have the freedom and space to grow and be myself. So even though I was in a lot of pain, I am also very relieved and I know that 2020’s Christmas will be much better.
Sense of Impending Doom From The Bushfires
For a short time, it even seemed like the world was becoming better and people had hope that we would be able to fix all the screwed up things about the world but 2020 started with all of that hope being almost completely destroyed.
Australia had the worst bushfires in its recent history in 2019. Over a billion animals have been killed and hundreds of millions of dollars have been lost through property damage. 10 million hectares of land has been burned (impacting all states and territories except the ACT). Entire towns have been devastated by the fires.
I don’t even live near these fires yet some days, I would not be able to go outside because of the smoke in the air. People have been advised to stay in their homes to avoid smoke inhalation. Some days, you can’t sit outside without ash falling on you and it’s hard to see far distances because of the hint of smoke in the air.
Things seem to progressively get worse (in every way possible). Morale is very low. So many of my friends started the new year with very depressing posts and commentary. The new year started with World War III trending on Twitter. It does not seem possible to start a new year in a worse way short of the apocalypse actually happening. So many people are depressed and scared.
And maybe that’s just because of where I live. The destruction caused by the bushfires are very prominent and the effects can be seen even in places that have not been directly affected by the fires (smoke in the air and ash fall). The bushfires are affecting peoples’ health in ways that they may not immediately recognise (bushfires can damage water supply infrastructure and catchments). There will most likely be economic repercussions. These bushfires may have consequences that last for decades.
And on top of the immediate destruction of the bushfires, there is also the inadequate policies and structures around preventing future bushfires, almost complete lack of acknowledgement of climate change and a political system that appears to be failing in its purpose of bettering society and enabling progress.
It’s not surprising that people are losing hope but is that really the best course of action at a time like this?
Let’s Be A Little More Hopeful
For me, a new year has always represented a new beginning (especially now). A new year is an opportunity to not only fix last year’s problems but also create a better year.
And it’s particularly hard this year because so many of the major problems of 2019 has carried on to 2020. The bushfires are still happening. Climate change has still not been adequately addressed. The political monstrosity of 2019 is still in power. And it’s so easy to just become overwhelmed by the sheer number of problems that need to be addressed but a new year gives us 365 (366 in this scenario) more days to fix the bullshit created by the last 365 days.
There is no instant fix. It’s going to take a long time for us to come back from even half of the destruction caused just by the bushfires in Australia. And I know that a lot of people are still mourning. A lot of people are devastated by just how wrong things went. But lingering on the devastation and allowing oneself to become overwhelmed by it is the worst thing to do. It will only bring pain and even slow down progress. We need to have a little bit more hope that 2020 is going to be better. A little bit more hope that we’ll come out the other side. If we have no hope then we have no motivation and if we have no motivation, there is no progress and 2020 will not only not be better than 2019, it will be worse.
Now, I’m not saying that the people who have lost their homes and livelihoods should just get over it. That’s definitely something to be devastated about. It’s something that has traumatised a lot of people. I’m saying that it isn’t the best course of action for the rest of us (the people whose homes and livelihoods weren’t destroyed by the bushfires) to be simply waiting for the end of the world.
Those who have the means to do something to help should. Just a few days ago, I received an email from the university I am enrolled in that they are offering support and emergency accommodation. They have a dedicated information line. They have counseling. That is helpful and it’s what we need but those systems could not have been put in place if the people responsible for organising them simply accepted that nothing was going to get better.
It’s normal and okay to be devastated but 2020 is a new year and therefore another opportunity. Things are not looking good but it’s not the end of the world. This isn’t the start of the apocalypse. We can come back from this so long as we remain hopeful that things will eventually get better. Because the moment we lose hope is the moment we lose motivation and therefore the moment we stop improving.
So go out there and get informed. Donate. Volunteer. Get involved. If it’s within your means and it will improve even one person’s life, do it. Stop trying to make up excuses to be apathetic (and saying it’s the end of the world and therefore you can’t do anything and everyone should just stop trying is the worst form of apathy).
Sources
How the 2019 Australian bushfire season compares to other fire disasters
Bushfires Threaten Drinking Water Safety
How To Help
Bushfire relief: How you can help those in need
Donate to the Disaster Appeal (Salvation Army)
Donate (RSPCA)
