Looking ahead, looking back
How about one final look back at 2020 before we close the book on this wild year and throw it on the fire? We’ve enlisted a group of local figures, some of whom you may recognize, to jot down some of what they learned over the course of the year. With one foot already in 2021 for many of us, there are some smart takeaways here from local folks you should keep your eyes on. Bye, bye, 2020! Here’s to 2021. Can’t wait to see you there. —Sam Spence
Spencer Wetmore | S.C. Representative
There’s a Saturday Night Live sketch that makes me laugh every time I think about it. Kate McKinnon plays a psychic in 2019 spouting crazy visions: “Yes, I see him. He is washing a bag of Doritos with soap … You are screaming, you are crying, ‘That’s not enough soap!’” I’m no psychic, and my predictions didn’t foresee a global pandemic; not to mention running for office and opening my own law firm.
Nevertheless, here is my attempt at resolutions for 2021. First, 2020 taught us that when you find yourself simultaneously on a dirt road and a six-lane highway, you still have to find a path forward. So, my first goal is to “stay in the work” by learning, focusing on the details, and pushing ahead. Second, I’ve been reminded this year that we’re not going to get anywhere unless we go together. So, my second goal is to listen and better appreciate others’ perspectives.
Finally, 2020 reminded us that we’re all the parent hiding in the closet during a Zoom meeting (as I write this, my husband is participating in a federal hearing in our daughter’s bedroom); so we can’t take ourselves too seriously. Cheers, y’all!
Read more thoughts on 2020 here!