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Should 2020 be forgotten?

That was the headline that caught my attention at the top of 2021 and drew me to the above adaptation of the traditional Scottish folk song, “Auld Lang Syne.”

The young Black child sitting in the church pew leading the song. Legacy.  

The beautiful Black people, their elders who joined them in harmony. Wisdom. 

The lit candle reminded me of a quote one of my mentors often shared: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” I strive. 

Protest and resistance. Voting lines. Healthcare workers and everyday people doing their very best during a global pandemic. Elders and changemakers now ancestors.  

I revisited this video at the top of this year, 2022. So much still resonated. In our hopes to usher in the “new,” new year, new goals, new resolutions, new intentions; it can be all too easy to forget.

The history, the pain, the joy, the lessons learned.  

So, when I reconsider the question offered in the headline: Should 2020 [2021] be forgotten?  

The answer is a resounding, “No … AND …” for me.  

As we enter 2022, our invitation is for you to consider the following: What am I remembering? What am I unlearning? What am I redefining? These questions allow for the honoring, learning, and contemplation of the past while also facilitating intentionality and imagination around the future. Sankofa.

In 2022, consider: What am I remembering? Unlearning? Redefining? These questions allow for the honoring, learning, and contemplation of the past while facilitating intentionality and imagination around the future. Sankofa. Share on X

What does this look like for me?  

As we enter 2022 …

I am remembering … That being “good” and getting things “right” isn’t the goal, no matter how altruistic it may sound. I am remembering that toxic perfectionism and binaries can find their way in how I do and live this work, stifling my capacity to grow, learn, extend grace, and forgive. I am remembering that the goal is to evolve, do and be better, and own my impact along the way. 

I am remembering that toxic perfectionism and binaries can find their way in how I do and live this work, stifling my capacity to grow, learn, extend grace, and forgive. The goal is to evolve, do and be better, and own my impact. Share on X

I am remembering … that just because something doesn’t last forever doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. It doesn’t mean it wasn’t valuable, necessary, and worthy. I am remembering that there are more ways to measure than “how much” or “how long.”

I am unlearning … my inclination to create expectations of others without their buy-in or consent. So often the gap between what I have expected of others and actually experienced has had more to do with my unarticulated needs and desires and assumptions that they should just “get it.” This means I am striving for greater authenticity, transparency, and radical, loving candor in my relationships.

I am redefining … what success and impact looks like for me, and how they are inextricably connected to the well-being, safety, and liberation of Black people.

I am redefining … what success and impact looks like for me, and how they are inextricably connected to the well-being, safety, and liberation of Black people. Share on X

Over the next few weeks, The Winters Group Team will be sharing some of our reflections, rememberings, and recommitments for 2022. We invite you to join us on the journey.