Bidding farewell to a troubled year

2025 was not easy, by many counts. The world was imploding at various fronts, there were wars and famines and natural calamities, the powerful few were playing their dirty games to keep the rest of the world out, common people were suffering yet powerless to change their fate; at a personal level, 2025 is the year when my dear friend Tithi left for another world and left me stunned and unable to cope.  It was also the year when I was forced to admit that although I have a strong and healthy body, even I can fall sick seriously; it was also the year I felt very strongly blessed by the healing power of the love and affection of my many wonderful friends.

Therefore Gratitude is the first feeling I have when I look back at the events of the last year. Gratitude that once the shock was over, things did not get any worse, gratitude that I had friends who cared and who helped me in every step of my way. Friends who just gave me their love, unconditionally, letting me feel valued and cared for. I always knew I was a lucky person, but did not realise how lucky I am. The last year showed me that although things did not always go as planned, I have no reason to complain.

Helena in Riga

Travelling with friends and inviting them over  was a big theme for me also in 2025, and I was lucky to have been able to make trips to various places with various friends: to Riga with Helena, to Brussels with Fiona and Linuda, to many places in Germany with various friends. Meanwhile, Baker came all the way to Guwahati from Frankfurt to visit me, while many others visited me in Wuerzburg. Jugenstil and Art nouveau buildings and artifacts remained the recurring theme for this year... first in Riga, and later in Brussels and in Wiesbaden.

Linuda and Fiona in Brussels

And in India, we had the award ceremony for the 30th and final year of the Munin Barkotoki Literary Award in early March (with Damodar Mauzo coming from Goa); the Award has been replaced by Writing Fellowships from this year 2025. We also had the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Sishugram this year and had many programmes through the year culminating in a big event on the 21st December at Sishugram.

Perhaps it is also good to look back on the year that was even if it is only to figure what lessons one can learn from it, and how one can do things better in the year to come. For one, for me the biggest lesson I have learnt is LET GO OF STRESS. The months preceding Tithi's death I was really stressed and worried about her, but did that finally cause changes in my body that made me sick soon after? Many have told me so, but in any case, I have understood that stress is not good for me, that I should avoid it, as far as possible. But will I actually be able to do it? That is the challenge. 

In my foolishness I have started many new things in the last years, while continuing to engage with the existing projects; most of these are things that require some doing, and since I am a control freak, I have to micromanage everything and that adds to the amount of things I need to do. So the second lesson I have learnt or should learn  is GET HELP. But that is easier said than done... For help cannot be got by turning a switch.  I have made a beginning by getting a regular driver but am still looking for someone (like an assistant) who can take the burden of at least the routine things off me. Can anyone help me find such a person?

Finally once I find the help and don't need to spend all my time trouble shooting, I need to spend more time with myself -- doing things I like and want to do, with people I like and care for. Hence the third lesson is somehow connected to the second. Third lesson is SLOW DOWN! Learn to savour each moment longer. Life is not a race against time. It is to be lived by doing things that makes one happy and brings inner peace. I know this does not help the poor refugee freezing in the winter cold in Gaza, but my being unhappy will not make that refugee feel any warmer. So as long  as my being happy is not hurting anyone and as long as I am doing what I can to help others, I must not feel guilty about being happy.

Slowing down should also include winding down rather than up. I turned 60 this year, a senior citizen in India. I do not feel very senior, but still it is an official milestone and a reminder that I am slowly getting there. There, were slowly the end is closer, perhaps even in sight, and that it is time to start winding down rather than starting new projects. And that I need to put my house in order soon, figure out questions of succession and inheritance and leave clear instructions for what happens when I am not there any more. I must not repeat the mistake my mother made -- she lived believing/pretending that she would never die. And left me a mess -- with which I am struggling even till today. So, final lesson, GET STARTED WITH PUTTING YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER.

And to repeat some resolutions that I make every year but never outgrow... 

SMILE MORE, 

BE KIND & PATIENT

and finally, SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE...

Life is beautiful, just believe in it...