Call it what you will. The Year of the Pivot. A New Era. A Life Altering Moment. The words of 2020 don’t seem to match its energy, import, and paradigm-shifting weight. Life can switch on a dime.
The pandemic has impacted us all, though in varying ways—loss of work, school, money, health, and, tragically, of life itself. What a sobering time—a global awakening.
This year is like a stripping away, exposing our dependence on the whole, and—if we’re lucky—that we have people in our lives and communities who care. Though it’s been a challenging time, the pandemic has allowed us to shift into something different, to see life anew. To appreciate the gifts we have. To make important, life-affirming changes. To remind us of our inherent creativity and adaptability. If we seek light, then it multiplies. Joy expands. We’ve nothing to do but spread it.
Every November, we dedicate our issue to the topic of giving, paying special tribute to the individuals and organizations who are transforming lives—by their example and the generosity of their time, talent, and treasure. Along with the Community Foundation of Greenville, we celebrate ten years of honoring those who serve our community. This year’s recipients, from the Greenville Free Medical Clinic, to OnTrack Greenville, to the South Carolina Children’s Theatre, to our Visionary Leadership Award honoree, Carl Sobocinski, are a varied and illustrious group, individuals who are natural leaders, who’ve enjoyed great success in their careers.
But they go beyond personal achievements, embracing the call to serve, knowing that lifting up the community means bettering everyone. We are all connected, as the pandemic has reminded us. We are cells of the same body. We are as healthy, and as vibrant, as our neighbor.
As we draw the shade on 2020, the year that smacked us awake, it’s important to remember that we can do more. We can help. It’s a daily choice—and when we give of ourselves, we ensure that we all have the higher view.
Blair Knobel
Editor-in-Chief
Twitter / Instagram: @LBKNOBEL
Photo by Kimberli McMillin
