Corona, lockdown, restart – 2020 was a year to remember! Sabine looks back on this extraordinary year and gives us her very personal summary – perceptively and full of confidence for the year to come.

A few thoughts…
Well, what a bizarre twelve months we have just seen! Twelve months as we have never experienced in such form before and, if we are honest, we would not want to go through a second time. I nevertheless have to say that I also have positive memories of this time – in a very particular way.

So come and take a walk with me once more through the extraordinary year of 2020.

Spring
What can we say about this season as it happened this year? Spring was... well, unlike anything we have seen so far. From our windows we could observe how nature spread its splendours – in some cases even reclaiming lost habitats. (Do you remember the pictures of dolphins in Venice? :-)) Every day we would read the slogans “South Tyrol sticks together” and “Everything will be fine” – and we held to this.

Ten weeks at home, ten weeks when our world stood still.



Summer
What we so dearly wanted became once more possible in the summer: going out, meeting people, living life anew! If I am honest, the mountains were never more beautiful, conversations never more intense, every single step was always firmer! :-) For many people, a holiday was now within reach – and South Tyrol too was restored to life, visited by its loyal fans and newly discovered by the curious. A holiday with our private landlords revealed itself as the year’s very best solution. As we have learned once again this year, flexibility is the be-all and end-all when it comes to facing up to new situations. And our private landlords are always flexible. :-)



Autumn
While autumn was a colourful mix of grey, rainy days and wonderful Indian summer weather, we noticed that people’s moods too were somewhat changeable. On the one hand they still savoured the memories of summer while enjoying the golden light of autumn, but on the other they looked with concern at the rising number of cases. The season ended a little sooner than planned, with shops having to close and renewed caution required. It all became quieter again in South Tyrol.


Winter – and a review
The cold season has only just begun and I for my part am looking back thoughtfully at the year 2020. And it’s not just me: all of us are wondering what happened. We are all too looking ahead to the New Year; what will come next, we ask ourselves. The answer: we don’t know. But we feel that we can handle any situation, even a pandemic that will probably be with us for quite some time to come.



Was 2020 a difficult year? Undoubtedly! Did it make us stronger? In my view, definitely!! The restrictions imposed, all while we had to do without numerous basic things that we had previously taken for granted, have in many ways made us more aware and slowed us down, causing us to appreciate what is really important. We have learned a lot about ourselves and our society and have overcome our own limits – both professionally and privately.

And, even though we know that the coronavirus will not disappear with the New Year, 2021 should be a new beginning. In our minds, at least, and in our hearts.
So my wish is that we can all keep an eye on what is important in life and that we will not lose confidence. I am sure 2021 will be an unbelievable year, fresh and waiting to be described. Maybe better – certainly different. :-)

With heartfelt greetings,

Yours, Sabine