2020 is here

The new year beginning this week represents a new start or a chance to correct, revamp or strive towards some type of improvement. As always, many will make and hopefully fulfill their resolutions. Important to note, this new year 2020 is numerically special.

The first two digits matching the second two digits occurs once per century and a person is highly unlikely to experience this twice in their lifetime unless they reach the age of 101.

Critical to note, 2020 is the 20th year of the third millennium, it is the 20th year of the 21st century, it is the first year of the 2020s decade and 2020 is also a Leap Year. Just saying 2020 sounds so mind boggling, like a science fiction movie. Back in the day, it was difficult to anticipate our role in the future. Notable publications cited their predictions for the 21st century. In 1951, Popular Mechanics was positive that every single 21st century family would have at least one helicopter in their garage. In 1966, Time Magazine was convinced the 21st century would experience an economic boom, with machines doing all the work leaving us to not lift a finger. We would pull salaries for simply doing nothing. In 1939, an issue of British Vogue predicted we would all be wearing disposable socks. It’s interesting and creative to speculate on future years, most of the time it’s just purely humorous.

Factually, it is one century since women received the right to vote in 1920. When we look back at the turmoil and political unrest of the world and our own country, it’s difficult to imagine any resolve.

In conducting a mini poll on the top wish for 2020, most people simply want Peace. World peace, national peace, state and local peace.

2020, apart from being the current year also denotes visual acuity- 20/20. Maybe, just maybe, we might acquire some of this visual acuity to make a bright, prosperous, happy and healthy New Year for all.