The Year That Was

When you know you have given in your best in the little and big jobs of life. When you know you have loved from the bottom of your heart. When you know you have brought that smile to people’s face. When you know you have been fearless to change- On a December evening you can say- It has been a good year!

Every year begins with hope. Hope to make “this one” perfect. Hope to fulfill all the pending dreams. Hope to love and be loved. Hope to do something that when you sit and sip your tea in your garden 40 years down the line- you are able to say, “oh my! what a year that was!” Hope to live and not to survive.  

We often end up measuring our success in a year as compared to the others. Nothing is wrong in that. It works differently for different people.  But we tend to forget that no two people are alike. No two people can have the same goals. No two destinations can be the same. For me, may be, being myself and finding myself is success. For you, may be, climbing that mountain you drew in your childhood, is success. 

Without setting any ground rules defining what a “good year” is, through only looking back and looking within, I say, 2014 was good. With ups and downs, from losing yourself to then finding again. With sad songs playing inside the head to tapping your feet to the happy ones. With loving and saying, to believing and crying. To giggling and breaking a back. To seeing the Devi’s face in Calcutta to seeing Mona Lisa smile in Paris. From Valentine’s Day to Christmas, from Holi to Diwali, from River Hooghly to River Seine, the year floated by gracefully.

The year that was and is, said one thing to me- “Be honest to yourself. You can fool everyone, except yourself!” The year also said, “Do everything from the deepest center of your heart!” If you love, love without threats, if you sing, sing without the fear of being judged, if you laugh, believe that your laughter lights up the world- that is when you become Beautiful. That is when you become special. With another bag full of hope, in anticipation, I eagerly await the Year That Will Be.