A few years ago, the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau teamed up to begin a Rose-Colored Glasses Campaign focusing on the positives in our community. Many local business owners and other community members chose to participate and were photographed in rose-colored glasses. (Editor’s note: Sentinel publisher Ruth Eddy and managing editor Brian Cox participated in this campaign.) This campaign was built on the premise that it is an individual’s choice whether to focus on the positives or the negatives, for both always exist in the world around us. It was accompanied by the hash tag #ChooseOptimism. We had no idea at the time what lurked just around the corner that our community, country and world would have to face. We could never have imagined just how difficult choosing optimism was about to become. Even if difficult, optimism is needed more today than ever as we prepare to close the final chapter of 2020 and prepare to begin writing our story in 2021.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, optimism is described as hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something. I believe that choosing to be an optimist does not mean turning a blind eye to the heartbreak and hardships they or those around them face, they just attempt to view them as learning experiences, challenges and temporary setbacks.

That said, there is no denying that many people we know, and love have experienced grief, loss, and pain beyond our comprehension during this past year and by no means do I intend to diminish the severity of what they have experienced. I just propose that we need to find a balance between feeling the pain and frustration of the present and hopefulness for the future. Even those days when we are at our very worst, we must somehow hold on to the possibility that tomorrow just may be better.

As we say farewell to 2020, and we are all anxious to do so, I cannot help but hold out hope that despite all the bad that has happened this year, we have learned valuable life lessons that we will carry with us throughout our lives. The most important of which is to cherish the time we have with those we love. Another being the new-found ability to find peace in isolation as we learned to truly know ourselves. I believe we also developed a better appreciation for our dedicated health care professionals and frontline workers, as well as love and support for our favorite local businesses.

Yes, 2020 you were a formidable foe, but you were also a great teacher. May we never forget the lessons we have learned.

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” Hal Borland

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Rhonda S. Moore is executive director of the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce. She may be reached at (717) 248-6713 or via email at rhondam@juniatarivervalley.org.