Good riddance, 2019. You have been one of the worst years. It feels like I’ve said it from the beginning of the year:
“I can’t wait for this year to end.”
And then things kept getting worse.
Think about it. There was devastation from Mother Nature, including the horrific tornado outbreak during Memorial Day weekend. California is currently dealing with wildfires burning across thousands of acres. And, there are dozens of additional tragedies including floods and earthquakes that have rocked our Earth.
How about politics? I believe most people would agree that there has been more finger-pointing than positivity surrounding that subject.
What about people-made problems? The people who wanted to bring hate to the Dayton area Memorial Day weekend (just two days before the tornadoes). People being taken advantage of by one another, people intentionally hurting those they love, and innocent people dying for no logical reason. In the Miami Valley, that includes the Oregon District shooting and, most recently, the life taken of a Dayton police officer.
Wow… what a year. Is there anything to be thankful for this year?
We can be thankful that in times of tragedy, we usually see humanity at its best.
As soon as the tornadoes moved out of the area, neighbors came together to clean up debris, make sure people had food, clothes and water. Some people didn’t sleep those first few days just so they could help those in dire need. Nearby communities that were not as impacted by the devastation rallied together to make sure students would have what they needed for the new school year. People opened their doors to give others a place to stay until they could figure out what was next.
The people who wanted to bring hate to Dayton? They were met with an outpouring of love – Dayton literally was united against hate. The number of people standing up for peace outnumbered in the hundreds those who came to bring hate.
One of the largest outpourings of support came after the Oregon District shooting. Not even 24 hours after the tragedy, thousands came to the Oregon District to surround each other in support during a vigil, truly showing #DaytonStrong. In the months that have followed, the community has rallied with each other and for each other, showing that those in the Miami Valley are resilient and come back stronger than ever from times of sorrow.
So while there are many reasons why 2019 hasn’t been a good year, we have the opportunity as mothers to show our children that there is still a reason to give thanks. We can have the hope that there will always be good moments to be thankful for even in times of darkness.
