mushmallows is a project born in the time of corona, out of much insecurity, irony, and introspection and as we end the year, we go back to where and when it all started.
The global pandemic forced all of us to shift our ways of life. Many reverted to old habits by revisiting lost loves and abandoned pursuits, while others found new hobbies that distracted them from the bleak reality. It's ironic how much we've explored even without stepping out of our homes.
While true, this isn't the complete picture of how the lockdowns affected everyone: these explorations were also luxuries for us who can work from home with uninterrupted livelihoods. But still, many have lost their sources of income, while others bore the burden of making sure that the world didn't stop spinning and fall into chaos. Some are fighting silent battles, as being stuck at home meant that they are also stuck in toxic environments.
As we attempt to write our year-end-slash-new-year reflections, the looming effects of the pandemic will be a recurring theme in each one. It is a shadow that'll haunt us as we enter into the second year of the decade. We entered 2020 full of optimism: a new year, a new decade, plus a very witty statement about the future and hindsight.
We think it safe to say that we're entering 2021 more cautiously. While some advocate for canceling new years eve celebrations altogether, we are taking a less cynical but more realistic view of the last few seconds of this seemingly endless year.
From a place of introspection, we realize that cynicism isn't going to help us as we usher in 2021. The overall color scheme of the world is more ultimate grey than illuminating and it isn't going to help if we paint it as a complete vantablack. If 2020 taught us anything, it is that there is hope, because there is also "good" in people.
As the system of injustice, which has pervaded before the pandemic and still continued as it ravages, cracks under the scrutiny of the people, we rise up to meet the challenges of a better, more egalitarian society.
What we must work to leave behind are misogyny, bigotry, racism, the culture of impunity, and other systemic injustices that continue to plague our society even worse the coronavirus.
We hope to keep the spirit of solidarity, optimism, and celebration. We shouldn't mind our friends posting about their plants and pets, new recipes, or their makeup looks. We should be happy that their coping mechanisms work and give them a sense of relief in these uncertain times.
We are also not stopping anyone from celebrating birthdays, holidays, and the new year. Although we strongly encourage everyone to recalibrate how they celebrate. We can finally mute the titas who make unnecessary comments about our weight every reunion. We can do away with the holiday traffic by spending it at home. We can make as much noise as we want without losing any fingers or opt to spend the holidays as quietly by counting down the year the way we count the last few pages of our 2020 reading list.
No matter how you choose to spend the last hours of the year, we still hope that you'll have a hopeful 2021.
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