Reluctant to throw 2020 away

Same photo, new year

Last year, in my kitchen I hung a wall calendar that I'd purchased to support Colonial Williamsburg. I used it for reference only. The planner on my desk is where I notate appointments and birthdays. 

Except in December. Last month, my wall calendar is where I kept track of my covid symptoms. I wanted all the details easily accessible when I spoke to my doctor or the Department of Health. What a sad tale of woe it tells!

•  When I noticed I'd lost my sense of taste and smell, and when they returned (smell first)

•  The four days of fever

•  The day my rash appeared

•  The 24 days of gastrointestinal upset

I have a new calendar for 2021, featuring dogs and cats adopted from a local animal shelter. It's certainly a more joyous addition to my kitchen than my diarrhea diary. But here's the thing: I was one of the 12,685 new cases reported in Illinois on December 1. I am a part of history. I am a victim of my President's mismanagement of this crisis and lack of concern for the citizens he should serve. I benefited from the infrastructure put in place by Governor JB Pritzker, because my state government stepped up with rapid results and the offer of help with food/medication delivery.

These are unpleasant notes I scrawled in December, but they feel important. So instead of throwing it away, I'm tucking my 2020 calendar away in a drawer.