2020: The Power of Unity
We the People of the United States…
Today is Election Day in the United States of America (USA). The 2020 presidential election has increased public anxiety while America decides its next administration.
The Covid19 pandemic was like an axe, splitting our polarized country right in half. We were forced to physically distance and we sought comfort from a catered Internet.
With so much division in the air ranging from racial to political, today marks a pivotal moment. The final day for American citizens to cast their ballots.
As the clock counts down to midnight, it’s only the beginning while the public waits for millions of mail-in ballots to be tallied; an important civic duty that can take days to determine.
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
Some businesses opted to give employees a half-day or close while others took an extra precaution and boarded up. Even the White House built an anti-climb fence.
I hope this moment is met with peace. The 2020 election aside, the year hasn’t exactly been dull.
From the severe events like the economic collapse and natural disasters (fires, floods, tornadoes and earthquakes), to eye openers like the Harvey Weinstein's sentencing, Kobe Bryant's sudden death and The Social Dilemma documentary.
Fortunately, not all of 2020 is a bad acid trip. There were moments of absurd brevity like the murder hornets, an asteroid and the Tiger King phenomenon. Is this even real? If you have to ask…
With so much insanity, it’s easy to forget the positive. Mother Earth caught a much-needed pollution break, diligent hygiene was deemed essential, sweatpants are far more socially acceptable and there was even a blue moon.
After lockdown lifted in SoCal, I seized social opportunities no matter how unconventional. Masked happy hour? Sure. Outdoor hair appointment? Done. Birthday Bootcamp at 7:00am on a Sunday morning? You bet.
So, when my friend Tiffany asked me to go to a speakeasy concert under a bridge, I was game.
The show was in full swing by the time I arrived. What shocked me was how many people were there—under the bridge. It was difficult not to hum the Red Hot Chili Peppers song.
Most heard about the show via word of mouth. Others joined because they happened to pass by.
Since the “venue” was under an overpass, I bent my knees to climb down the ramp. Apparently, we spared no expense and skipped the “cheap seats”. I literally felt the value of stairs since it was legs day at the gym.
The booming acoustics were off the wall—literally. A staged projector provided a visual experience to compliment the music.
As the merrymaker played on, I glanced around at the “stadium” ramp seating. Like other concert goers, I greatly appreciated this gifted moment of joy. The whole experience was pretty epic. I even forgot where I was until the music stopped and I heard the traffic whiz by overhead.
A month later, the musician offered another show, but word got out about the “venue” and another organization swooped in with a “formal” show that had the nerve to charge tickets.
Meanwhile, the founding musician was “downgraded” to a natural rock stage carved a hundred feet downstream. While still cool, the natural lighting only permitted the show until sunset.
Still; the show brought people from all walks of life together. The moment felt normal when life is anything but this year. Even some of the most devastating moments have been the most beautiful.
The Demolisher, a fellow boxer at my gym, suffered multiple seizures during lockdown. This was due to two brain tumors that required immediate surgery. After the tumors were removed, he was diagnosed with brain cancer—Stage 4 Glioblastoma (GBM).
Within nine days, the entire gym mobilized and rallied around this man. Everyone pitched in. The gym owner organized a bootcamp fundraiser and raffle that resulted in approximately $12,000 worth in prizes and services, including an $8,000 cash donation for the family.
Apart from participating, part of why I know the numbers is because I was the volunteer who counted ALL. THAT. CASH. It was fun to feel like a baller for ten minutes.
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
Mind you, this was a man I hardly knew. In fact, pre-pandemic, my communication with gym members was limited to head nods and grunts. Yet, when one of us fell, I sprinted with the pack to his aid.
It didn’t matter what his political affiliation was. Nor his race, religious beliefs, marital status or job. He is a member of the community. Enough said.
Both the concert and the bootcamp shared an important quality that is easy to forget in today’s climate:
Unity.
Like brain cancer, polarization requires immediate operation. While division wars on, our humanity bonds us when we opt for commonality over difference. These crucial moments show us how precious life is and have the ability to bring us together rather than drive us apart.
Take nothing for granted, for today’s sunny day is tomorrow’s ferocious hurricane. But, even in an unpredictable storm, if we hunker down together, we can survive anything, united as one.
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