Our Take on 2020

We are a little late to the party on our recap of 2020.  I think the images of Eli below pretty much sum up how we felt at the end of December 2020!  What a great year it sounded like it would be!  I mean it's so symmetrical when you see it written out.  I was so sad to not have gotten the 2020 New Year glasses from Party City. But I digress.

 2020 sounded like it was going to be so much fun.  We were optimistic, giddy even, to say we were living in 2020!  Things were going well!  The winter was mild and comfortable. Bentley Photography was on target to have its best year yet. We were working with incredible schools and sports leagues, and our portrait clients were all happy and satisfied. And then, March.  All of our schools and sports leagues shut down on March 13 and then Friday, March 20th, we were open and working and then closed until May 5th. Life was up in the air.  Were schools going to open at all?  What about graduations?  And sports?  Was that happening? And COVID 19?  I mean, we didn't even know of anyone who had had it at that time.  Was it a conspiracy? For two weeks we literally walked around in a daze. We went from a full schedule to literally nothing to do. How would we pay our employees or our bills?  Put food on the table? Do we really have to stay home?  For how long? And spray and wipe our groceries down?  Are you serious? Where is the toilet paper and cleaning supplies?!! 

But then something special happened.  Spring was coming and the weather was beautiful! We fell into a rhythm of peace.  There was no where to go, no recreational shopping to be done.  The American Express bill was $0.00! We spent many hours outside reading books, listening to podcasts, walking the dog and planning for how we would live happily ever after in this new state of peace even after COVID was a thing of the past and we were working again.  No stress!  What a way to spend our days!  We took up mountain biking and got in great shape!  Life wasn't so bad!

The whole world had changed and for the better in some ways. We saw families riding bikes, hiking, kicking a soccer ball, and playing catch. Spending quality time together. Literal quality time.  We learned to connect in ways we didn't think were possible and we learned to find peace and happiness in the simple things. 

But everything wasn't easy.  We went months without seeing our kids. We visited Mike's parents, who were in an assisted living, through a window. We watched as his sweet mother dwindled away with Parkinson's disease and two weeks before she passed we were allowed to go in and sit by her bedside.  And believe me, we know we were lucky and blessed to get to do that.  We wore masks and gloves and were not allowed to touch her.  It was cruel.  Her funeral, and again, we were lucky to have one, was held at our beloved church but with strict rules and certainly not the celebration she deserved. We don't even know who all came.  No guest registry allowed and no pen to share. We watched his dad grieve alone, again behind a window, as his life completely changed and we could not offer a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold. 

Thanksgiving came. We stuck a plate of food through his Dad's assisted living window so he could have a taste of home at the holidays.  Christmas was spent FaceTiming and then watching him open gifts, again, through his window.  And though we have been extremely fortunate so far to have avoided this terrible disease, it finally has hit home.  Not with us directly, but with extended family and friends.  Some with mild cases and many losing their battle with COVID.  

And with all of these things going on, it seemed our world had been turned upside down. The United States was imploding as riots and craziness was on every media outlet.  It was unreal and  un-American. And just sad. I prayed every night for peace, understanding and healing. And for the love of God that people would wear their masks!

But there has been happy news too.  We learned our oldest daughter will be having our first grandchild in May of 2021 and it's a girl! Sweet Baby Caroline! What a wonderful blessing to look forward to! And yes, the shopping has already commenced! Our second daughter will graduate in May after 8 years of school. She has worked so hard and we are so proud!  Life has marched on.

As of April 2020 we had been in business 30 years! We didn't even mention it then because we were still in COVID shock mode. We have survived many ups and downs in 30 years of business and we are blessed to have the best clients who support and appreciate us!  The feeling has been mutual! 

So Eli, we feel ya! Your session completely covered the gamut of emotions we have felt in 2020 and into 2021.  Happiness and hope. Shock and awe. And now as we wearily watch COVID hit so many we love, we are done. We are done with this disease and we are done with the hate.

We wear our masks everywhere we go.  Please do the same. You may be fine. You may think you are immune. But there are many of us still trying to protect the ones we love who are vulnerable and those we don't know from this disease. It is not over yet.  

We are praying for our country and our leaders to do the right things and protect us all, no matter their party and beliefs. Protect us from COVID, from our enemies foreign and domestic.  Bring peace to our nation.

We will get there.  Before you know it 2021 will have passed quickly, as all of the years do, and by the end we will be in a better place all the way around. Until then, it's OK to lay our heads down once in a while and rest.