Letter from the Editor

By Harry Colbert, Jr., Editor-in-Chief

 If you are reading this then somehow you made it. 

 Celebrate yourself. You did it. It wasn’t easy, but of the many things that 2020 took, it didn’t take you. 

 I know it’s hard to celebrate knowing all we’ve been through … all we’ve lost, but trust, a celebration is in order. First, celebrate, then work to heal, then work to rebuild. Rebuild our lives, our relationships … our community. 

 Survivor’s guilt

 According to the all-knowing Wikipedia, survivor’s guilt is explained as, “survivor’s guilt (also called survivor syndrome or survivor's syndrome and survivor disorder or survivor's disorder) is a mental condition that occurs when a person believes they have done something wrong by surviving a traumatic or tragic event when others did not, often feeling self-guilt.” Sound familiar? Ferris? Ferris? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone? 

 I’ll speak up. I am guilty of the guilt. 

 Think of all 2020 has taken from us? To date, 5,300 and climbing Minnesota deaths due to COVID-19. COVID didn’t stop at taking lives … it took from us our way of living. Think; when was the last time you were able to hug someone freely … shake someone’s hand? 

 We survived 2020 … George Floyd did not. 

 With every breath I take I do so with the memory etched in my mind of how George Floyd’s breath was suffocated from his body at the hands and knees of cold and callous Minneapolis Police officers. I’m reminded of days and nights that followed. I’m reminded of seeing the service station in flames at Penn and Dowling avenues … driving down West Broadway Avenue dodging the crashed and abandoned cars only to see buildings in ruin; the O'Reilly Auto Parts engulfed in flames. 

 But again, as we mourn, let’s remember to celebrate. 

 Two vaccines are on the way to fight the deadly virus that has taken from us far too much. Hopefully soon we’ll be able to reclaim our sense of normalcy. We’ll be able to offer proper and heartfelt greetings. 

 Mr. George Floyd was taken from us, but his legacy will remain forever. His killing serves as a catalyst for lasting social, policy and political change; not just in Minneapolis, but throughout the United States. 

 So, yes, with all that we endured … survived … in 2020, look back and survey all that we achieved. There’s still heavy lifting ahead, but as any personal trainer will tell you, the rest in between the lifting is as important as pumping up the weights themselves. 

 From all of us at North News to you and yours, wishing you a wonderful holiday season and prosperous and peaceful 2021.