39th Birthday

This entry has been sitting in my drafts for a while.  I had intended to write a very different entry when I started back in February - but then I didn't have the focus to actually sit down and write it.  I wanted to talk about my hopes and dreams for the year ahead and 2020 has slowly crushed all of those.

Thirty-nine, back  in February, was messing with me in a way that I had no anticipated.  And I expect that Forty is not going to be any easier next year.  In fact, 39 was bothering me so much that I decided I wanted to do a big trip for my 40th.  I thought that maybe it could help distract me from everything I expect I will feel about a milestone birthday.  I decided on Hawaii.

Then COVID started rearing its ugly head in the States and everything changed.  Then I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease in May.  I was also laid off in May due to reduction in business because of COVID. And the hits just keep coming.

 So far, my family has remained healthy and I've found temporary work to keep me afloat while I search for more stable options.  The safety nets put in place for COVID had been extremely beneficial while I've been unemployed.  I've been able to defer my mortgage, student loans, and most of my credit cards until September.  There was additional funding in my unemployment payments until the end of July.  I sincerely hope that Congress gets its act together to extend these benefits for those Americans that still desperately need them.

So 39 has been about surviving.  Here's hoping that 40 brings more sunshine and prosperity.