3 Positive Things I Am Grateful For in 2020

I can not sum this year up in just a few lines, regardless of how hard I try. I do however want to point out that everything that has happened since the beginning of 2020 makes it hard to make future plans. It also makes it hard to say 'what if' I did this or that in the past. So much changed globally this year that it is difficult to make sense of it all at once. It does however force us to focus on this very moment and try to remain as stable, secure and as safe as we possibly can.

The three positive things I end 2020 with are:

1. Finding an opportunity at a time of struggle to complete a personal project. When the first strict lockdown was implemented in Havana I was left very distraught and extremely anxious. I was never one to just sit and wait things out. I needed to be productive in some form or another. Luckily, towards the end of 2019, I began to learn how to program in JavaScript and I had a simple yet great idea for an app. This if ever was the time to sit down and complete the project. It was not like I was going anywhere anytime soon! I persevered daily from the moment I finished my first of many cups of coffee till late in the evening. I managed to learn, fail, create, build and complete the app within 6 months. Although I was able to leave the house after 8 weeks, I was so far into the project that I never stopped. I am grateful for every minute I spent developing the app. It kept me motivated and sane during a time I could have easily went down a negative path. The app is a free tool to help manage costs for anyone trying to start a small food business, especially from the home. If anyone is interested they can check it out at https://units.kitchen.

1. Working closely with my friends, partner and family to make ends meet. During the third quarter of the year, we passed through another 6 weeks of nightly curfews that began at 7pm. This time, due to a change of address I could not have access to an internet connection. It was hard to get to the markets during the day and ordering food at night wasn’t possible because everything was shut. So, my partner and I decided to make cheap but delicious croquettes to sell for extra cash. Honestly, I just measured the ingredients and rolled them in bread crumbs. She was the master behind the cooking and shaping. Trust me those little croquettes are harder to make than they look! People loved them not only for the taste but because they could store them in the freezer to enjoy in the evenings for dinner with their kids.

1. Spending time in nature and in particular the ocean which was crucial for cleansing my soul. I have always been attuned to the natural world. Unfortunately, the daily urban life always presents excuses as to why next week or next month will be more appropriate for a hike or just to sit quietly next to a natural source of water and listen. After 2 months of not being able to leave the apartment I jumped at the first opportunity to head the white beaches and clear waters of Varadero. I would wake up at 7 and go sit inside the sea in silence, look at the horizon and just be thankful. I am getting emotional just thinking of those three mornings. Never again will I take for granted such a blessing.

Writing this post is a great way to end the year. I’m new to @steemit, maybe I should have stumbled upon it earlier as I was truly getting tired of the mainstream social media platforms. I look forward to sharing a lot more and receiving from within the communities.

A big thank you to @fendit and @belenguerra for posting this contest, the couple of hours I spent writing were a great way to reflect on the past extremely testing year.