BN2020Epilogues: Sholz Had a Good 2020 & is Hopeful that 2021 will be Better

For many, 2020 has been a year of ups, downs, and many in-betweens. We know you have a lot to tell us and have asked that, as one big family, we all share our joy, pain, wins, losses, and successes through the year.

Sholz had a good 2020 and he is hopeful that 2021 will be better.

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Wow! It’s another time for us to pen down our memoirs about how the year went by. How time flies! I remember how 2020 was proclaimed to be the year that’ll usher in positive change in people’s lives one way or the other. We had been envisaging the “Vision 2020” that was being chanted all through the previous years. Little wonder why everyone looked forward to the year with high expectations.

I started the month of January on a good footing. I decided to get serious with my finances and so I subscribed to the Money Africa platform. I became enlightened on how to invest and in no time, I had actively boarded the flight to financial freedom. I joined a community of like-minds who wanted to improve their finances and so far, the journey has been worthwhile. The community also encouraged me to read more books. Towards the end of the month, the management board at my place of work took some decisions which were going to take a toll on our finances and we all had to re-strategize, else workers would be struggling to survive. I thanked my stars for making it possible to carry out some investments earlier.

The month of February can never be forgotten in a hurry as it hit me with some unpleasant news. I had applied for NNPC recruitment the previous year and got qualified up to the final interview stage at the headquarters in Abuja. After anticipating for over six months with endless visits to Nairaland webpage for updates, recruitment success emails were sent out and I did not receive one. I recall the moments like yesterday but took it in good faith. We move.

March approached, COVID-19 reared its head and life dynamics took a different turn. Things we never expected started happening: lockdown and curfews enforced, increase in dollar rates, people were just struggling to survive each day, and so on. I remain grateful to the Almighty as I work in a company that offers essential services, so we kept on doing our business, and salaries were paid. The months of April, May, and June just went by with me trying to stay safe as the COVID-19 pandemic kept moving around the country. I also decided to try my hands at some computer programming so I registered and learned a few things on C-sharp language. I dropped out at the end sha. Then July came with the easing of the interstate lockdown and movement gradually returned. Some of the pubs started opening for business but I must admit it was not rosy living through the lockdown period.

The months of August and September passed by without any major events except that the investment I did earlier in the year started yielding some returns. Guess who was grateful. October came and we had the #EndSARS movement which showed the world that Nigerians were actually tired of the menace of bad leadership that made living in the country unbearable. Earlier in the month, my very good friend and colleague at work got married and the event was a success. I shared in his joyous moments.

November came and with an unpleasant incident. The thing is, I make it a duty to intercede to the Almighty on behalf of my family and friends to make our joy complete. My younger brother took on some not-so-pleasant activity which has been a major course of worry to my parents, especially my mom. It hit me so hard that on certain days, I spent a couple of minutes just thinking about how it all went wrong. We hope and pray he gets back on his feet as soon as possible.

I started the month of December – which happens to be my birth month – well. My birthday came and I decided to mark it, lowkey, with a few friends around. To be honest, I don’t even get the buzz about the festivities as I am just trying to live each day as it comes.

In summary, 2020 taught me that:

• Some of the things or luxuries we felt we could not live without do not necessarily matter. The fact that one is alive in good health and sound mind might be all that matters.
• You can not completely have your life planned out as there are forces and situations beyond your control that can alter proceedings within the twinkle of an eye.

Did I achieve something? Yes! I was able to grow and maintain my finances despite the huge expenses one had to incur through the year.

Going into 2021, I remain hopeful for a better year, not failing to acknowledge the “Big Man” upstairs and to solicit for more of His grace and mercy.

By the way, I entered 2020 single and still leaving single. Ouch! I did actually try to work some things out with someone, but it refused to work. I will try again in 2021 and be open to more friendships and relationships.

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Have a story to share? We’ll love to hear it. Send in your essay to features(at)bellanaija(dot)com with the subject: 2020 Epilogues. Let us know all the twists, turns and successes 2020 came with.