The Last Day of the Year

There are three hours left before this year ends in my time zone. It's been an interesting year for me - I think I grew a lot this year - even more so than in other years. I think I matured, so to speak.

Did anything profound and uplifting happen? Well, it did, but not suddenly. I was lolling along, trying to meet deadlines in a year of falling advance tax collections, reading about the saddening state of the economy when transfer orders were announced and I was sent back near my home station. All in all, quite bright and cheery.

I managed to go to Rishikesh and go white water rafting on the Ganga, spent a couple of nights on the beaches of the Ganga - all very awesome experiences. I went trekking in Chakrata - a place which is infinitely beautiful. I floated a wish on the Ganga at Haridwar and listened to the evening aarti - which is also very beautiful.

I got to see one of the remaining tigers on the face of the Earth at Ranthambore and did all this and the above with friends and loved ones. I went and visiting my parents in the Caribbean and my sister in the US, saw New York City and fell in love with it and with art all over again. So much so that I've made some resolutions that I plan to keep appointments with next year.

I've carried out assignments which I thought were impossible and I've made intuitive leaps which turned out to be accurate. I think professionally as well, it has been a good year!

So how did I spend the last day of the year? I spent part of it with one of my oldest friends who was here in Delhi meeting family. And ofcourse, I'm spending it with family as we speak. Though we're all curled up in our respective beds sheltering ourselves from the Delhi winter in our cool apartment (constructed more to withstand the sweltering heat), I know that at New Year's we'll all huddle together and give eachother a quick hug before we settle back down again!!

Good times! I think NO ONE was in the mood for going out this year.

And right now I've just finished getting off the phone with a friend and we're planning on the treks we'll be going on in the Himalayas this year. All very good times ahead!!