Hindsight is 2020: The year things we should have known became obvious

By: Lou Maningas Cabalona

 

When the world quarantined March of last year, there were only two paths for non-front liners like me. If you were lucky enough not to be furloughed, you would have abruptly shifted into working from home — for the rest of the year and beyond.

Suddenly humankind had to quickly evaluate what activity was “essential” enough to continue doing outside of their sanitized and protected homes. With nearly everything cancelled, we found ourselves “free” to decide what we would like to spend our time on. For some, it was finally cleaning out their closet or working on the DIY home project they’ve been putting off. For others it was starting a new hobby or habit! I am talking gardening, baking, investing, running, or reading more. Calling friends just to say hi?

Reflecting on the past year, a friend told me “2020 is somehow the worst year but also the best year in so many unexpected ways”.

Truth.

For one, I can tell you that everything that I said above, I actually did last year — after months, maybe years of prioritizing other things. Ok, except one, but I won’t tell which one it is.

More importantly, the year 2020 is indeed 20/20 – the year things we should have already known have become so undeniably obvious, we have to act on it.

It was the year the world finally acknowledged we still have a lot to do to eliminate racial injustice; and the year I learned that having adequate sleep daily and drinking lots of water is essential for a better life.

But of all the lessons gleaned from this unforgettable year, the most impactful for me is that – we all have 24 hours in a given day.

If you’ve heard the phrase “You have the same 24 hours as Beyoncé” and you’re ready to scream, “No, we don’t have the same 24 hours! Beyoncé could technically be sleeping 10 hours a day while her staff is working on her recording, her concert and, her fundraiser and the live-in nanny is minding the kids”, hear me out.

When everything on my calendar got cancelled last year, I had the opportunity to fill it with other important things that I should or can do, while social distancing. Working from home also gave me the notion that I could somehow move schedules around and multi-task and “make” more time. I felt I was saving a lot of hours not travelling so it was a great time to do things I wanted to do but have been putting off.

I started working on the weekends in exchange for a nonwork related thing I just had to do during work hours, like a seminar I attended because it was really going to be useful to know as a future entrepreneur. I traded sleep to plan for a fundraising for a nonprofit I led because I can roll out of bed late and start working immediately anyway. On many occasions, I would say yes to something because, one, its important and two, I know I can squeeze it in while attending another zoom call or while BoomBoom is busy playing or napping.

I accomplished a lot of things, yet I didn’t feel accomplished. As a matter of fact, I was miserable. I felt like I was failing, always trying to catch up on never ending work. Worse, I came to a point where I was debating in my mind whether to give my son my undivided attention while he was playing, or I can leave him exploring while I finish the minutes from yesterday’s meeting due ASAP.

Surely, Beyoncé today would likely never be in the same predicament. I don’t intend to burden myself with unrealistic expectations comparing how I live my life with her or anyone who have it made. But the truth is, before she and any of the people we admire became successful, they also had the same two things we have: 24 hours every day and the choice of what to do with their time.

Sometimes It’s about saying no to things that are not important. Choosing to complete 8 hours sleep instead of binging on the Bridgerton Nextflix series? Yeah, that’s hard. But here’s what’s harder. Sometimes it’s about giving up things that are also important with the recognition that you have only one life and you cannot afford to dilute your time and energy doing everything.

Ultimately, we all have full control of where we spend our hours today, tomorrow and every day to get what we want out of life and to live the life we want to live now.

Despite a tumultuous year, we found ways to adapt to the changing world day by day by day. And through it all, we have persevered through the storms of life and arrived at the end of the year, dare I say, victorious.

May we all draw on our new wisdom now to make our lives fuller, and the world better and more just.

The Cabalona Family, December 2021

Celebrating Christmas 2020 – Baron, Louella, Reign (2 yo), Genia and Orlando Cabalona, Carmen Cagabcab, Lee Maningas, Orlando Cabalona Jr.

Reign Malaya with Ninang Lee (left) and Tita Carmen (right) on Christmas morning.

At Via Times 37th Anniversary and 77th Birthday celebration of Ninong Joe Mauricio (left) With Ninang Veronica, Baron, Reign Malaya and Louella.