It’s hard to believe, but somehow COVID-19 and civil unrest have not been the only earth-shattering events that have occurred in 2020.
In January, basketball legend Kobe Bryant, along with his daughter and seven other people died in a helicopter crash. That same month saw wide-spread fires in Australia turn land and homes into ash.
In April, a man dressed as an RCMP officer killed 23 people in Nova Scotia. A few weeks ago, Kanye West announced he is running for president. A worldwide quarantine ravaged economies everywhere.
The death of George Floyd while in police custody that was caught on video sparked protests and riots not only in the United States, but across the globe.
It feels like with every flip of the calendar, we are faced with more chaos. That chaos has humbled everyone in one way or another.
I believe, however, that out of all the darkness the year has brought, what comes next will carry people forward. Great pain and desperation often results in inspiration.
I look forward to a new age headed by a generation of people who will no longer stand idly by and watch injustice, ignorance or regression.
A lot can happen while you are trapped in your house with nothing but time. Whether it is the next classic album, groundbreaking technology or advancement in medicine, I think the darkness and uncertainty of 2020 will spark change.
When you look at musicians that defined a generation or a genre and trace back to the album that put them on the map one thing is certain – they were desperate. Desperation brings the best out of many people because they have no other options.
From David Bowie to Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin to the Beatles, the path to greatness was paved with the hardest of times. Their dream was kept alive by the notion that one day, people would listen.
Over the centuries, many people have been talented and left their mark. I think true world-changers, however, are the ones that have an idea combined with good intentions, a solid work ethic and nothing left to lose.
In the words of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”
There has never been a better time to be creative and find your contribution to a different future. As life regains a sense of normality, we have the ability to reconstruct the damaged foundations of the world we live in.
I have to believe the creative renaissance that will follow one of the toughest years most of us have ever experienced, will bring a brighter day for a future generation.
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
