It’s the season for celebration. And let’s face it—it was a bad year for cheer. Nevertheless, though masked and socially distanced, we will join together again this year in love and joy for one another. We will clink glasses, feast, toast to a better future and enjoy what we have, taking care to live in the moment. That’s what our cover story is about: remembering the good times in the midst of the not-so-good and pledging to support one another.
This year, Salt Lake magazine’s November Cocktail Contest (p. 63) is all about fun. We don’t think that’s frivolous, we think it’s important. Take all precautions, support our hard-working hospitality community. But remember to smile.
After all, we humans are ridiculously resilient. When we’re oppressed or treated unjustly, we push back. Read the sad story of Lauren McCluskey and the protests, outcry and, finally, change that her unnecessary death inspired. It all ties in with the consciousness-raising that have been 2020’s answer to injustice.
Political upheaval and bitter divisions have marked this year as much as the scars of forest fires, hurricanes, drought, windstorms and out-of-control disease. Lack of social contact, economic hardship and uncertainty have damaged our psyche.
Humans aren’t meant to be alone. We’re tribal creatures.
But we find relief—in raising our voices in protest and encouragement, in solo hiking, workaround ski vacations and, slightly absurdly, in playing games. (p. 78)
Because that’s what humans do: Make do in the hard times, keep hope for the future and—don’t forget this part!—laugh in the present.
Cheers!
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