This Is 2020! Your Vision For The Future

Every new year is seen as a new start, but 2020 feels extra special. Maybe it’s because it is a new decade. Maybe it’s because this is the only time that anyone under 100 will see the first two digits match the second two. Or maybe it’s because of all the weekend holidays (and Cinco de Mayo will be on Taco Tuesday!). Whatever it is, I hope that 2020 really is something special and different. So what are my goals for the year, and what is my vision for the future?

I hope that it is the year that I can really BE different. Because lots of times we have a bunch of grand expectations that don’t work because, well, we are still US.

And Thinking Otherwise Is Insane

So, I’m not hoping that I can be different to make those expectations happen. I’m hoping that I can be different by not expecting that I will somehow be a different person. That I start religiously exercising, cooking elaborate meals, and keep my house sparkling. Or that all of the sudden I’ll have children who get along, fit into bikinis I wore in my 20s, and find all the mates for the alarming number of single socks I keep throwing back in the hamper. That homework, hair combing, and car trips will be tear-free. That I will ever actually clean out the garage, re-grout the tub, or finish my to-do list. That I will sort through the thousands of uploaded photos that hold my children’s most precious moments, random hilarious memes, and receipts I might need later. I could go on, but you get the idea (and maybe you can relate).

I’m Still Me

I’m also done with very specific goals for the future. I am not against planning. Though you’d never know by my house, I love organizing, making lists, and creating timelines (I just hate doing the stuff on the list). But we all know what happens to the best laid plans … and what God does when you tell him your plan … and all of that. Everything blows up in your face (isn’t it ironic?).

The Future Is Unclear

Plans are especially difficult for special needs families because we have so many worries and uncertainties about the future. We don’t know how much progress our kids will make, how much support they will need, how much it’s going to cost, and who will take care of them when we are gone. These and other clouds are hanging over our heads, and no amount of planning or preparation can fully ease our minds.

I hate driving in the snow. I used to get worried driving when the weather was so bad that I could barely see the road ahead. And if I focused on that, I wouldn’t be able to see at all. It was only when I calmed down and realized that I just need to look at the road right in front of me that I relaxed. I could see that little bit clearly, and if I just focused on that I could get home safely.

My Vision For The Future

I can’t see the future. And I can only do so much to plan for it. So, I will embrace the uncertainty. For 2020 and beyond, I’m going to try to focus on what is right in front of me – what I can see 20/20. My resolution is appreciate it, to find joy in it, and embrace it without constantly worrying about what is too far ahead to see. And I will be completely open to the idea that what lies ahead will be amazing!