Why hindsight’s 20/20
How we can move forward by taking a glance at the past
Hindsight refers to looking back or reflecting on things in the past. 20/20 means perfect vision. The phrase “hindsight is 20/20” implies that when we look back at events that happened in our lives, we see things clearly that were not clear to us at that time in the past. What was once blurry and hard to grasp becomes clear and precise. I used to wonder why this was the case, why the situations are difficult to process at the moment they occur. When I asked people for their insight on this matter, they’d say that maybe we understand things better in the future because we mature as time passes by. Does this mean that we were immature back the when it was all happening? I don’t think so. As humans, our emotions affect us in various ways. You won’t expect someone who lost his job to be happy about it. In that exact moment, he feels the sadness, pain, and disappointment. Years later, that person got the promotion he’s been waiting for in the job that he found after he got fired. Now, he knows that the reason he lost his prior job was because he was meant to excel in another company. That’s just how life works.
It’s now 2021 and things are finally getting back to somewhat of a “new normal.” People are getting vaccinated and some countries are now permitting citizens to go outdoors without wearing facemasks. Other countries are still waiting for their supply of vaccine doses to arrive. In one way or another, we are finally able to do the things we weren’t able to for more than a year. Looking back at the year that’s past, it’s slowly becoming clear to me now.
I guess it’s safe to say that the year 2020 took the world by surprise. It’s as if life is a movie and someone pressed the pause button. Our lives were put on hold. We had no choice but to lock ourselves indoors and stay home. Going out was only an option if you’d be getting essentials such as groceries or medicine. Everything suddenly shifted to the online platform—classes, seminars, business meetings, talkshows. No matter how prepared we were, the question some would ask is, “were we really?” Don’t get me wrong, technology’s great. But don’t you miss it? The morning rush while getting to work, the barista’s smile at the coffee shop, the lunch breaks with friends, the handshakes we give when meeting someone new, the warm embraces when comforting someone in a time of loss, the Friday nights at the movies— these are the things we’ve taken for granted before this whole pandemic. If we were only given a heads-up, I bet we all would have cherished every last moment before the outbreak. Nevertheless, I believe it’s time that we take a glance at the year 2020. Look at how far we’ve come. It’s extremely difficult to be away from family and friends, specifically those who were sick in the hospital. But with the strength and unity that we share, we pulled through.
As we move past this pandemic and step into a new normal, may we never take the small things for granted. May we choose to be kind to everyone we encounter. May we be able to hug a little tighter and laugh a little longer. May we appreciate what we have and teach the next generations the importance of life itself. Life is precious and the only way to go forward is to learn from the past. If you can’t understand why things are happening in your life as of the moment, I promise, one day it’ll all make sense. That’s because hindsight’s 20/20.
About the Creator
Margaux Cadenas
Gratitude is my attitude! Here to express my thoughts and emotions through writing.
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