For all the talk of social distancing, the wide range of opinions regarding the state of the nation, the planet—pick something—I am continuously struck by the societal divide into two very distinct camps: those who rise to the occasion, and those who remain blissfully ignorant of their role in the bigger picture.

New year, new me? Not quite. (And, for the record, I detest that expression.)

Much as we might strive to improve in all facets of life, I can assure you, there is seldom a magical transformation which occurs on any single given day of the year.

We are each respective works in progress, making countless adjustments along the way, learning from our mistakes and taking steps to improve upon the past.

Much as I’m a lover of photographic recaps, I tend to shy away from those online trends which nudge each person to produce a photo from a decade ago, as if this alone provides some deep perspective into the life he or she has led over the course of the last 10 years.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but there is always far more to the story.

They say the long view is the one which lends itself to the appropriate perspective. Something about hindsight.

Much as we (I) might hate the cliché, the fact is there’s simply no substitute for time and the objectivity it brings to situations that at one point seemed so utterly black and white.