The Year That Was

2008 promised to be a great year when it started. It started with infinite happiness, optimism & possibilities. 2007 had ended on a very positive note. Personally, I was on cloud 9. Professionally too I had a clearer idea of where I wanted to be, in say 5 years’ time. Looking back, 2008 was:

A year of change – I quit my job of four & a half years at a company I found amazing to be part of on hindsight (don’t we always appreciate the good side of things once we’ve left them behind, or them us?)

I joined a new company which I think I was destined to join. For how else do you explain the fact that I ended up joining a company I had promised myself I would never join?!! Destiny has plans for each one of us...I can already see what it has in store for me this time!

Seven months into my new job and I still haven’t been able to become a fan of this place…I still have my moments of disterss...still struggle with my decision sometimes…but don't we all do that sometimes? Don't we all wonder whether what we chose to have is worth what we gave up? Overall I think I made a good decision professionally.

My job wasn’t the only thing that changed in 2008. I also relocated from Bombay to Calcutta. Purely for personal reasons. I wanted to be closer to my family, which is settled in the eastern part of India, closer to my sister who got married last December & moved to Calcutta. Also wanted to be closer to someone who was a very important part of my life at the start of 2007, but as luck (or life) would have it, figures nowhere in my scheme of things now, and I’m happier for it. Again, as luck would have it, my sister moved to the UK 3 months after I moved to Calcutta! Thank God my parents are east Indians who are happy living in east India and have no plans to relocate to any other part of India!!

I’ve noticed that every fifth year is a year of tumult & emotional upheaval for me. 1998…moved out of home (and my protected, sheltered, convent educated upbringing) for the first time…that too, all the way to the US where I had to fend for myself completely…right from cleaning my own bathroom to laundering my own clothes to vacuuming my house to managing my finances…terrible year it was but guess what, I learnt to swim! Woh kehte hain na, when you get thrown into the deep-end and it's a question of sinking or learning how to swim, you learn to swim!

2003…moved back to India…experienced depression for the first time in life as I’d left my life in the US behind…the comforts, the convenience of living, the not having to struggle to get small things done, the not having to deal with inefficiency, corruption & bureaucracy…left all my friends behind (as they say, the friends you make in college are the friends you have for life)

2008…moved to Calcutta…HUGE paradigm shift…this is such a different place compared to Bombay…needed to make quite a few adjustments…went through personal upheaval…

Guess I should dread 2013 now & can afford to embrace 2009 with hope, happiness & smiles :)

A year of finding love, losing it & finding hope again

A year of meeting new people – The best part about moving to Calcutta, apart from the fact that I’m much closer to my family, is that I got to meet some wonderful, fun new people!!

A year of lessons learned – Many lessons. Mostly personal. There is no concept of ‘always’ or ‘forever’, so never let go of your rationality. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Every one who says they love you does not necessarily do so. People are selfish & self-centered…everyone’s looking out for their own back…you better look out for yours!

2008 has been annus horriblis not only for me but for many people I know. I’ve had bad years before but there’s something about the start of a new year that makes me excited, hopeful & happy! Maybe it’s just the thought that with the end of the previous year, things that had gone wrong are over & done with. Maybe it’s my eternal optimism…my belief that each new day brings with it possibilities.

So, I’m hoping for a better year…a year that not only starts on a happy note but also ends on one…a year where I’m able to consolidate certain relationships...become a better human being …a year of many many more smiles than tears…but most importantly, a year of humanity, faith & hope.

Happy New Year to all of you.