It’s been an interesting last year, to say the least. With social and political unrest at extremes, panic and fear peaking due to a virus the media may or may not have over-hyped, and many of our own Pittsburgh residents affected by the ongoing situation, most people expected more out of 2020.
A large number of the Italians who now live in our wonderful city still have relatives back home in Milan, and surrounding areas. They suffered through the worst of 2020 with their families in Italy, and then had to endure an even more unbelievable saga right here in the USA when the proverbial poop hit the fan here later in the year.
Thankfully, 2020 has passed, and most of us are now a little bit older and a lot wiser. While the start of last year involved a lot of panic and cautionary preparation, we can now see from the data that we can’t just shut down the economy entirely, or millions more people will suffer as a result. Not from sickness or ill health, but from lack of food, clothing, shelter, jobs, and personal contact with others.
2020 was a year in which we learned a lot. We all now know what PPE stands for, the difference between nitrile gloves and latex gloves, and that face masks don’t really do as much as we once hoped. While we still need to be safe and cautious, the dire situation of the economy points to a far bigger problem looking for the residents of our once booming city.
We need to think forward to the future instead of focusing on the, well, quite forgettable past. Keeping safety in mind we need to push forward and continue working, to keep the economy alive, and get ready to tackle the next big plague about to hit our society, that is, the plague of an unrelenting economic depression.
It’s back to work just like 2019, only this time with a few more face masks, splatterings of hand sanitizer and workplace signage to remind us to stay safe. If you’ve been hiding indoors for the past 6 months, it’s time to step up and step outside. Our wonderful city needs strong, resilient, and hard-working people to bring our economy back to its former state and glory.
2020 was a horrible letdown but 2021 doesn’t have to be. We’re off to a wobbly start, but from such a low point, it may actually be that the only way is up. So, take your vitamin C, D, zinc and moringa supplements. Get some exercise in to get in shape and boost your immune health. Breathe in some fresh air, get some sunlight, and let’s hope that this is the case. All this while we pray the once booming economy we used to enjoy here in Pittsburgh can be resurrected. I believe it can be done but to make it happen we all need to play our part. Good luck, Pittsburgh.
Additional resources for business owners in PA:
- Set your business up for success with Cerity Insurance
- Growing your business through social media
- Will Your Next Relief Payment Be $1,400?
- Implementing Automation in Your Business