Dear 2020,
We started our relationship with such a strong foundation, but I can’t help but think our time is coming to an end.
Remember the days when we were still so hopeful about our future?
New Year’s feels so long ago, when we were wearing goofy glasses and making jokes about how we’d have “20/20 vision.”
Can you believe we even used to look forward to the Olympics?
Thinking back to those memories makes me realize just how much we’ve grown apart in the past twelve months.
I’m sad even thinking of all our wasted potential.
We hardly even laugh together anymore. I mean, it’s been months since we’ve gone out with any of our friends.
It seems like we’re just waiting for time to pass and hoping things get better.
Look, I’m not saying you’re horrible.
I know somewhere deep down, you have a good heart.
You took Kobe from us, but at least tried you to make amends by giving the Lakers a championship.
I appreciate your effort; I just think we’re past the point of fixing things.
I know a lot of your mistakes were an attempt to keep things exciting, but the surprises got to be a little unbearable.
Don’t you think a raging, global pandemic might have taken things just a little too far?
Sure, keeping me on my toes every once in a while might have been a good idea. Maybe it could’ve even breathed some life back into this relationship.
I’m just a little too old for the whole verging-on-apocalyptic thing.
At the end of the day, I guess I need some stability.
It’s exhausting to have to keep wondering what you might do at any given moment.
I give you second chances again and again, but I can’t keep doing this forever.
I’ve spent so much time trying to defend you. I tell everyone things are getting better (“Seriously, guys, we’re turning a corner!”) just to be proven wrong.
Now I’m starting to think that my friends and family might have been right about everything…
And I have to be honest – given everything going on between us – I’ve had my eye on 2021 for a while now.
That doesn’t take away from the fact that we’ve been through so much together.
Even though I might not always look back on our relationship fondly, I’ve learned a lot from you and you’ve made me a stronger person.
If things had gone differently, we really could’ve been great together.
We both have to realize we’re just not compatible.
This is goodbye, 2020. I think you can agree that it’s better for the both of us.
Wishing you the best,
Kayleen
-Kayleen Petrovia is a reporter for the Journal-Tribune.