Palmer retrospect

What will we remember from this past year? I reckon no one will argue that 2020 has been anything less than a very memorable year. Whether you have been in Palmer or Portugal, this pandemic year will go down in the history book. I suspect that 2020 will be a benchmark in our personal histories. In the future, as we reminisce, we might question... ”Now did that happen before or after the pandemic?” It will carry the significance of the 1964 earthquake or oil spill — both very historical and noteworthy events for all of us.

Palmer Kids—I wonder what Palmer-area children will remember. Will they think back and say, “oh yeah, that was the year we had screen school.” Or no school. Or “pretend” school. Maybe they will recall it as the year they read 100 books. Or the year that they played a lot.

Palmer Seniors—I wonder what Palmer-area elders will remember. Will they think back and think, this was the time when they realized their age had made them vulnerable? Or was 2020 the year that they decided they had had enough?

Palmer Parents—I wonder what Palmer-area parents will remember. Will they remember it as an endless time of exhaustion and exasperation with moving goal posts? Or will they remember it as a year when their family learned and loved new habits and traditions?

Palmer Heroes—I wonder what Palmer-area health care workers,first responders and teachers will remember. Will they think back and remember being overwhelmed and underappreciated? Or will they remember that 2020 was the year that the entire world woke up and realized their true value?

Palmer Businesses—I wonder what Palmer-area business owners will remember. Will they recall this year as the crippling year they went under? Or will they recall this year as the difficult year when their community learned to “shop local,” and stepped up to support them?

Palmer Faith Groups—I wonder how Palmer Faith Groups will reflect on this year. Will they remember 2020 as the amazing year their congregants came together spiritually, without physical connection? Or will they remember that 2020 was the year that they lost both membership and fellowship because of distancing recommendations?

Palmer Teenagers—I wonder what Palmer-area teenagers will remember. Will they remember this year fondly as the year they fell in love online? Or will they remember this year as the broken year they slept through — because they couldn’t face another day?

Palmer Walkers—I wonder how Palmer hikers, walkers and bikers will remember 2020. Will it be the year that they familiarized ourselves with local outside opportunities? Or was it the year of record hikes and personal bests in pursuit of the great outdoors? Or was it the year where they tread-milled, hunkered down and only dreamed of travel and canceled adventures?

Palmer Puppies—I don’t wonder about Palmer dogs’ memories. First of all dogs don’t sit around reminiscing. And if they did, I suspect they would consider this past year mighty good. Their people were around more; they took more walks and had more fun.

Palmer Peeps—I wonder how we all will remember our community. Will we remember that 2020 was the year that we joyfully gathered together in zoom meetings and virtual gatherings? Or will we bitterly reflect on the year as a total fail because we were unable to participate in all our normal festivals and wonderful traditions. Will we remember this as the year that we “stood by our guns” and “kept our freedoms” or will we remember this as the year that we bought into a government scam and knuckled under to pressure?

It’s hard to speculate how this year’s Palmer narrative is going to read. It will be examined inside-out by historians, sociologists and scientists. I suspect that we have all learned some pretty important lessons this year. Was the face mask a hoax or a help? Was the virus a political football or a real danger? Did precautions prevent death and disease or were they some kind of restrictive political grandstanding? We will all have our own interpretations to these questions. Having this pandemic in our rear view mirror will allow us to more objectively determine what has worked and what has failed. I look forward to that retrospective balance. Until then, stay safe and wash your hands.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907-315-3222