Not all notes of a piano sound the same. Not all poems rhyme. Not all stories end the way we want them to. But clearly, they exist for a purpose. Life is as much about not knowing, as it is about the typical, run-of-the-mill, unremarkable events.

2020 was one such year. It came with the usual dreams, hopes and aspirations like any new year. But then the way it progressed was nothing short of a horror story unfolding unexpectedly. It left scars that would not heal for many for a long, long time. Lost jobs, departed dears and broken beliefs left the mankind shattered and unsure of the future. There would be little disagreement that this was the worst year in the living memory of everyone.

And yet, there was so much to learn during the year. 2020 taught us more than any other year. We adapted to a new lifestyle, thanks to the lessons learnt during the year. And these learnings will have an everlasting impact on us. In a way, 2020 was like a teacher that would scare you to death, only to get the best out of a student in the end.

It reiterated the importance of hygiene. It forced to think about and act on savings for the future. It made us work from home and yet be effective. It pushed the students to embrace online learning and still excel in academics. It encouraged us to learn new skills & technologies for surviving at work. And most importantly, it brought families together. We started caring more for our people. Sensitivity and consideration became the nucleus of family relationships. The fear of vulnerability of the human life to a pandemic brought us closer and knocked a sense of care into us.

So, we can blame 2020 all we want to for the reasons known. But if we imbibe the learnings of 2020 going forward, we will hopefully not see a similar year again – at least not during out lifetime.