LAUSR

To say 2020 has been a difficult year is a significant understatement. With COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) wreaking havoc throughout the country, the unimaginable destruction and death due to the widespread fires in the western states, flooding in the southern states, and the racial tension throughout our nation, it is difficult to focus on the realities of our day-to-day lives and activities. Amid all of this, our goals focus on keeping our families and ourselves safe and healthy. On the frontlines, health care providers have been challenged as never before. Work that is often a source of great joy has been complicated by stress, isolation, and sadness; it is difficult to find balance. Finding balance is always easier whenwe keep those we love close; yet this, too, has been problematic, as social distancing often requires prodigious family and personal sacrifice. As the novel coronavirus diffused into our lives, a new normal unveiled uncomfortable truths. We are not as safe as we believed. The fragility of everydaywas exposed, as life slowed for some people and raged for others. Health care providers could not save everyone, even colleagues and family members. For many providers, life became hectic, frightening, unnerving, and exhausting—one continuous string of trainwreck days. The challenges were endless, the outcomes heartbreaking, and the fears constant. Mistrust of science amplified this uncertainty amid political misinformation and personal fears. Yet, medical professions remained a trusted source of information and secure care. Nurses responded with dignity, competence, andcommitment. Itwas truly the year of thenurse. Home and work settings became fortresses of solitude, redefining home, safety, and health. Mobility was restricted and travel unsafe.Wewaited as friends and familymembers returned from college or travel, as home base was the safest bet. But, for far too many, home and safety remain elusive. Inequality and inequity became painfully visible, a reminder of what we choose not to see in normal times. Themost vulnerable among us were susceptible to the virus. The first