2020 - A Year In Review
A selfie of me and comet NEOWISE north of Flagstaff.
Well the end of 2020 is nearly here, its hard to believe, the year with seemingly never ending months is almost behind us. I have to say this has been the most difficult year for my photography, both financially and creatively. Normally, I take part in art markets, craft shows and holiday shows, but that all didn’t happen this year. These things I had become so used to didn’t happen at all.
While I did visit a couple of my favorite locations in the desert early in the summer, I feel like my creative drive has been stifled in a new and different way every month of this year. Perhaps this lesson in impermanence is a good thing, although I’m not sure how yet.
I think the biggest thing I’ve learned from this year is how among lost income, extreme stress, depression and major anxiety, there are things we can learn about ourselves and choose to change. Somehow in the middle of the most difficult year of my life I was able to stop chewing gum, which was like telling a toddler to live without a pacifier. I cut my addictive news habit, going from reading upwards of 5 hours of news a day, to an average of 10 minutes these last few months. I also started checking social media every other day instead of every hour. I even quit biting my nails, a habit I’ve had since I was a child. Perhaps under stress we learn about ourselves in a way that we may never have, and this pressure can push us to change.
More recently, I changed my diet and went back to eating far more veggies and no more processed food (thanks Will and Marcy!!). I think its true when you read how gut biome affects your mood and diet. Happy food makes for a happy biome. I’ve done more yoga, more pup walks and more hikes outdoors than was normal for me before.
I guess I am writing this because I want to be able to look back at this moment in time in the future, and I’m a sucker for end of year reviews. Perhaps this year in review is more personal than usual, but at risk of sharing too much, I needed to express these thoughts. As I write this there are flurries outside, our little Luna Pupperino is curled up on the tiny house couch snoozing, and my top songs of this year playlist plays in the background.
Below are some images I took this year from me as a working photographer but also a few personal moments. I spent countless days at the lake with Tiffany, paddle boarding and watching sunsets. Many of these were with family or a couple of friends. When I think back to what a train wreck of a year 2020 was, I honestly don’t think I’ll remember being depressed at home, or the angst I got from the election and news cycle. I think what I’ll remember the most is the lake days, the hammock days, watching the sunset from the porch we built just before summer, and building my Adirondack chair which I hope remains in our family for generations.
On one hand this year was absolutely terrible, the absolute worst ever, I’d give it 0/5 stars if it were a movie and then ask for a refund. But on the other hand, without this momentous shit show, I don’t think I would have slowed down and paid attention to the things that matter most and the things that bring me real joy. I’ve dabbled in music production this year, got back into drawing and rediscovered other hobbies that I had forgotten.
Stay safe friends, try not to let politics or beliefs (yours or others) take over your life. Take risks, try new things, and never stop loving one another. We will get through this together, and hopefully we will have learned something along the way about ourselves. In my opinion, that is a recipe for something good.
Well I should probably stop rambling and show you some pictures, so here they are, mostly in order.
-Abe
December 14, 2020
