Snap shot of year 2010

So here we are, almost at the end of January and it finally sank in to start thinking , saying, writing it as 2011 instead of 2010. Another year slipped away like a fistful of sand with some leftovers of loose quartz on my palms. The feeling is overwhelming . Its like I terribly mind washing my hands under water, not wanting to let go of those remaining grains. Isn't letting go difficult ?

Its been a fortunate year of seeing my family, relatives, and old friends. Its also been a year of making new friendships. I left for India in February beginning, returned in mid June, my longest visit to India during my stay in States. I not only met but was able to spend time with my mother's side of family , my grandparents , my father, my in-laws, my both brothers, my sister and my two best friends. Upon returning back to USA, the later half of the year saw me happily connecting with our best friends here, spending thanksgiving with them in Winston Salem and then celebrating Christmas with my Cousin and family in Atlanta.

It indeed was a year of renewing bonds and reviving spirits. It was a year that made me want to hold on to. Preserving moments like a talk with my 87 years old grandmother who amazes me with her strength and who likes to (and rightly so) hand out the gist of life in form of apt verses and quotes from wise and famous poets and philosophers, making me realize how simple the life can be despite its complexities. That somethings will always be right and some be wrong, that the difference between black and white is a wider shade of gray and its not okay to use that gray to suit you when you need an excuse in life. Moments when my grandfather established a bond with Avi while teaching him to use a calculator, when my grandmother excitedly encouraged Neev to drink milk by himself by clapping her hands, when my father completely occupied Neev by playing 'Aaju Baba , Maaju Baba', kind of an Indian version of 'this little piggy' while I was away doing the course of 'Art of Living' taught by my brother, when my father-in-law made sure that Neev found him by his bedside in the morning during 'Navratri' because I was in the temple offering prayers along with my mother-in-law. Yes, there were a lot of precious moments of my visit that I will cherish all my life.

Its only natural that our heart and mind wants to clutch to whats good in our life. I know that I have to welcome the new year with new hopes and dreams. I also know that it will come with its share of frustrations and fears. The challenge is to move on and keep moving on and when in that journey I need to know if it's worth, all I need to do is open this post, reflect and reminisce.