First, the bad news: 2020 isn’t even half over. Like an especially bad Maine winter and it’s only December, it just feels endless.

Many of us are doing all we can, except those who look down on masks, social distancing and other precautions as if those who practice them are weak. No, we’re caring, focused and want to end the pandemic by giving the virus nowhere to go, not by pretending it isn’t real, or isn’t all that bad.

And in the past week, the streets of major American cities were on fire, after George Floyd’s death a Minneapolis police officer was arrested for. When the smoke clears, may the legal, peaceful protestors’ message of the need for equality be heard.

Which, somehow, brings us to the good news as 2020 nears the halfway pole: There’s still time to flip the script. 

Support the restaurants and other businesses reopening with precautions. You’ve missed them; they miss and need you. It’s finally nice out most days and evenings. Meet friends. Just don’t get too close.

Vote this year for leaders you feel will lead your town, school district, legislature, state, Congress and nation where it should go. Only you know where that is. 

Want to vote absentee for the first time? Ask your town clerk how.

And lastly, if you have any good news to share, please email news@wiscassetnewspaper.com or news@boothbayregister.com or call 633-4620 and listen for the news numbers.

We can’t take away the worst of 2020, and we must never forget. But this year like no other can also be a comeback like the world has never seen. We have seven months to do it.

Week’s positive parting thought: Though not easy to bring this parting comment back after such a harrowing May, you don’t flip the script by wallowing. So here goes. Are you with me? It’s nice to see people dotting the downtown again. May the dots fill in like pointillism, but socially distanced.