20/20 Vision
I remember telling my mother my vision was blurry and it was hard for me to see the board in class. Although I knew this would result in me having to wear glasses, I wasn't looking forward to the teasing and taunting of other kids because I was now having to wear them. I can remember wearing glasses all the way back to middle school. They were the first thing I reached for as soon as my eyes opened in the morning. Since then, I have taken a liking to different types of glasses and have embraced the fact that I don't have what they call, 20/20 vision.
What is 20/20 vision some may ask? This is a term used to describe normal visual acuity measured at a distance of 20 feet. In normal terms, to have 20/20 vision means you can clearly see at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance.
As a believer, I am often reminded of the scripture that says, Where there is no vision, the people perish. This then caused me to reflect on the year 2020. Starting out this year I was in the third trimester of my pregnancy, anxiously awaiting the arrival of our baby girl, Willow. Her due date was set for March 8th, but the doctor decided we would induce that prior Monday, March 2nd. After arriving to the doctor only to find out that she was transverse (lying across my stomach), the doctor sent me home and said be expecting a call for a scheduled c-section in a few days. March 6th, was set and we arrived at the hospital ready to meet her. After being in the hospital for two nights, the nurse came in to the room and stated, "Because of the severity of the Coranavirus, we are asking that you would please find a place for your son to stay tonight as the hospital is no longer allowing visitors ages 18 and below." We had heard about the virus prior to delivery but didn't know the severity or even if it would get this serious.
After arriving home with our little one, we were bombarded with the news and social media of what seemed to be talked about all 24 hours of the day...COVID-19. We were soon confined to our homes and only left for doctors' appointments or to pick up our groceries via Kroger pick up. Thinking...this will be over with soon, to now saying...we have now been dealing with a global pandemic for the past 10 months.
This year has caused me to do a lot of self reflecting, thinking, praying, and finding and walking in my purpose. The commonly used term by optometrist, 20/20 vision, can be applicable to the year 2020. Our vision (eyes) have been opened to a lot of things this year from a global pandemic that has killed thousands as well as infected thousands, to blatant racism. We have had to make adjustments to a new way of living.
We now worship God from the comfort of our homes...our 20/20 vision has allowed us to "see" that God is not in a building, an organ, the front row, or the worship leader but is in us everywhere we go for we ARE the church.
We have turned our kitchens, living rooms, and even our bedrooms into our office and a classroom for our children. ..our 20/20 vision has allowed us to "see" that we can turn our homes into whatever we need them to be.
Our cellphones, our tablets, and desktops have turned into conference/meeting rooms, our Thanksgiving and Christmas family gatherings, out of town visits, happy hour and game night...our 20/20 vision has allowed us to "see" that family is all we have and whatever was an issue doesn't matter.
Voting polls were visited in large crowds we usually see when the new Jordans drop...our 20/20 vision has allowed us to "see" that our voice does matter and if we want change, we must be heard through our vote.
2020 has allowed us all to have what most of us don't have...20/20 vision. Those things we once had blurry vision to, we now see and know clearly. Although 2020 has been "a year" to say the least, we must stop and thank God for 20/20 vision.
Going into 2021 and the years thereafter, we will always remember the year 2020. Remember to go into 2021 with 20/20 vision. Count this year, 2020, as a year of growth and blessings.