The road to hell is paved with good intentions so the old saying goes. Well given the number of good intentions I started out with at the beginning of 2020, I must be a long way down that road.
It has been an unusual year on many counts. Not least the reaction by governments and people to the coronavirus that started affecting most of the world in March. I have written about my views on that here and elsewhere many times. The reaction to the virus has become after, President Trump of the USA, the most divisive and polarising topic in living memory.
I realize that no scientific facts or carefully constructed arguments will change the minds of those who accept without question the “official” version that is constantly repeated and amplified in the major media. So this post is not about the coronavirus.
The year started with much promise for me. The first full year back to my writing and speaking after the departure of my younger son back to Zimbabwe at the end of 2018. Much of early 2019 was spent winding up the vegetable business, selling equipment and getting my life together after two years of helping him. I was looking forward to a calmer life, no more 4 am Saturday mornings to go to farmers markets with my daughter-in-law.
A year, in its dawn, full of good intentions
More speaking events, more blog posts, more visitors to websites, more book sales. Selling or disposing of the rest of the stuff left behind by my son. Finishing my series of blog posts about my Camino de Santiago adventure. Walking a longer section of the Camino from France to Santiago and more.
What happened?
Everyone’s lives were disrupted in March. My speaking engagements were cancelled, shutdowns and travel restrictions in Europe closed borders, pilgrim hostels and restaurants making it impossible to plan another Camino adventure.
Many of my intentions or goals for 2020 became paving stones, if not on the road to hell, at least on the road to the end of a strange year.
It wasn’t all bad
As so often happens, new opportunities appeared. Kathleen, my partner in another business venture and I decided to start a Podcast and video show channel in March as a way to help local businesses and authors get publicity. We also thought it would be fun.
It has succeeded beyond our expectations. It has taken on an identity of its own and become The Yakking Show. Today we recorded our 78th episode and we have guests booked for the show for most of January. Guests have come from Canada, the USA, the UK, Ireland and South Africa.
We have met a wonderful group of people from authors to zestful entrepreneurs. People with diverse backgrounds, professions, careers and causes. It has been a lot of fun.
Although I could not walk the Camino de Santiago, on the 12th of May I set a goal to walk my usual 4.2km (2.5miles) or further, every morning for 100 days. That was not too difficult so I kept going. Despite the snow and below-freezing temperatures this past week, I am over 215 and still going. Proof that an action repeated 30 times becomes a habit.
Paved by all those good intentions, my road in 2020 may not have taken me to hell. It didn’t take me where I had planned, but it did take ne along some interesting detours.
I survived the year and am fitter, leaner and lighter than at the start. Well placed to start the new year on a different road.
How did your intentions work out in 2020? Leave a comment.
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