2020

"20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance. ... Having 20/20 vision does not necessarily mean you have perfect vision."
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The American Optometric Association

It has often been said that "hindsight is 20/20." Sometimes grown-ups forget to teach kids these sayings because they have been overused over the decades. Sayings like that become a cliche.  You've possibly heard the word cliche before you may never seen it in print. It's French and pronounced "cleeshay."  According to the Cambridge Dictionary a cliche is a saying or remark that is very often made and is therefore not original and not interesting.  It is best to not use them but in this case I could not resist!   To some people Climate Change is a cliche.  I coudn't disagree more. 

What does "hindsight is 20/20" mean?  It means...we should have seen a current event coming. We should have predicted it.  But how could we have? 

Many catastrophic events can be scientifically predicted with some accuracy.  Hurricanes can be seen offshore so we can know approximately when they arrive and plan ahead. Some form so quickly one can only react.  Tornadoes form when certain conditions are present.  Trained "spotters" keep their eyes on the skies and sound the alarms telling people to take cover in their basements when one is seen.  In both cases, human vision is the means for preventing the loss of life.  There is never much that can be done to save buildings or land but human's can plan ahead and make life saving choices.  To take cover, to evacuate to another locaiton.  

2020 has been a year where scientists had been sounding the alarm about the effects of climate change but, in America, it fell on deaf ears. Wildfires, hurricanes, and flooding all took their toll on our planet.  The world leaders had come to agreement about climate change and had begun making policies and laws that would have slowed it's progress.  Sadly, the United States pulled out of those agreements signed by President Barak Obama.  The administration didn't believe in climate change.  

Greta Thunberg raised her voice and was able to say what the youth of the world had always wanted to but were not able to.  Adults need to wake up, take responsibility and work to fix the problem.  And there are so many ways we could work together to fix things, or at least make things better. 

Covid-19 waited for no one.  The deadly pandemic closed everything last Spring and into the Summer.  But amazing things started happening when people around the world weren't driving and flying and using fossil fuels.  The air quality improved.  People in Japan could finally see the beautiful mountain they were nestled near.  It was almost as if the planet was forcing humanity to be in "time out." 

Although the Adventure Kids Choir had a great season planned, we, each of us could take our songs, independently into the woods, onto the lakes and rivers and inside caves.  With our families, we could still raise our voices. 

This 2021 is set to be another challenging year for us.  Kids around the world have gotten very good at online learning and building virtual communtiites.  The Aventure Kids and Kin Choir are planning to continue that trend through regular online practices via Zoom.  We are going to work on old songs and new songs and write our own songs.  We are looking to the future of our choir with our eyes lifted in 20/20 vision.  Our 2021 vision is still in development.  Let's use all of our tools to make Nature Conservation and Climate Change an issue that  can't be ignored.  The Earth needs us more than ever.