A silver anniversary in a difficult year

I am typing this article on a special occasion for my husband and I. It is our 25th wedding anniversary, very early in the morning.

It is quiet with a gentle rain falling, just like on our wedding day, when the reception was taking place. Rain on one’s wedding day is an old Italian omen for good luck. Today, seeing that I am engrossed at my computer, my husband David has provided me with a cup of steaming hot morning tea. For that simple act of thoughtfulness and especially for him, I am very grateful.

To me, 1995 was a very memorable year in terms of preparing for the wedding, getting married, the news, popular culture, and other events. That year, the O.J. Simpson trial occurred. Bryan Adams, Whitney Houston, and Seal provided musical entertainment. We watched and enjoyed Seinfeld, Friends, and 60 Minutes on television. Forrest Gump won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Michael Jordan came back to the NBA postretirement, which was huge for my husband. A Referendum for Quebec’s independence was defeated.

Over the past 25 years, my husband and I have experienced various personal changes. We have raised a family. We have worked at our jobs while learning a great deal and cultivating lifelong friendships. Looking at our wedding album, we are reminded of the loss of both our fathers, relatives, friends, co-workers, and neighbours. Hence, during this time in my life, I am reminded to treasure life’s moments as best as I can.

Now it’s 2020 and it’s our silver wedding anniversary. The year has been especially challenging from the very beginning, and we have months to go before it ends. It will remain strongly entrenched in my memory. Near the beginning of the year, the loss of those aboard Flight PS752 in Iran including two McMaster students shook us locally. As well, through the shocking deaths of Kobe Bryant, his young daughter Gianna and others, we have been reminded that life is tenuous.

Concerns regarding climate change remained present as the Australian wildfires burned. Protests in the United States, Canada, and around the world have brought the need for racial justice to the forefront.

This year, COVID-19 left a permanent mark on society and has affected all of our lives. People have lost loved ones. Our health-care workers, along with countless other essential workers, have worked tirelessly. Issues surrounding Canada’s care of our elderly and the significant role of personal support workers need to be addressed.

The way we view the world and carry out our daily tasks has changed. The stress that this pandemic has caused will not be forgotten. We have had to slow down and value the small things.

So this year, we have had to accept the sad change that comes with the loss of celebrations like graduations, weddings and anniversaries. The focus is on getting through this health crisis and combating this virus with appropriate precautions and reliable information. We also need to deal with social issues that weaken the vulnerable in society, by supporting them via viable strategies. In doing so, a focus on history and education is necessary. With all of this, we need a stream of hope to envelop us.

Today, I am very grateful for the cup of tea that my husband has made me. It makes for the best anniversary gesture ever, as we are simply together in 2020 and continue to support one another. That steeped cup of tea symbolizes the long time that we have been married, what we have witnessed, and gone through over the past 25 years, making our bond even stronger. The simplest acts of kindness mean the most, as they are recognized and valued during these difficult times.

Now, as I drink my tea, I appreciate its warmth and comfort. Going forward through 2020 and onward, I will be in search of any silver lining that I can possibly find, in order to help me cope along the way.