Final Word from Thursday, December 30, 2021
Fill in the blank yourself. Whether 2021 was a good year or a bad year is in the eye of the beholder. Each person sees it through his or her own lens, and it's politics or intervention to try to convince people one way or the other, as Pres. Miloš Zeman ("not a good year") and ex-PM Andrej Babiš ("good year") did. It was the second year of what might already be in effect "eternal covid," and most of the 0.23% of the Czech population who died with or of the coronavirus in 2021 would probably agree that they had seen better days. Those who have survived so far can be divided roughly into those who are benefiting in one way or another from the ongoing disruption in life, business and schooling, and those who are not. Take a moment to write down which category you include yourself in, and why, and then try to return to it on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. How your own perception develops over time might be the most valuable indicator you can find. It might help guide your further action. [ Czech Republic covid-19 Christmas address speech ]
Glossary of difficult words
beholder - a person who sees or observes someone or something;
in the eye of the beholder - a matter of personal opinion;
through the lens of - from the viewpoint of;
to have seen better days - to have been wealthier or in better condition in former times.