Rear Views

A spring in my steps, ‘cheer flakes’ brushing my cheeks and the whole new road ahead to conquer and explore! Achievements or disasters, turmoil or stability – regardless of the report card for the year, I cannot but help celebrate and pull up my spirits when Christmas and New year is round the corner!

Perhaps it is the association of years of ‘xmas holidays’, of goodies, of cakes and indulgences, of white snow and feel-good Santa movies that I bingewatched..something about this part of the year when cleansing, celebration and hope mix with the atmosphere and you breathe and inhale the spirit of the season..

A fresh gusto of energy and positivity starts to propel you forward and the 365 days of dashed hopes, grimy roads, political differences and a laundry list of heartbreaks and frustrations slowly give way..slowly and surely, the hope of a new year and the unknown mystery of what it could unfold starts meandering into your existence.

Yes, there are places where the torrential cascades of bitter experiences are difficult to water through..yes there are places where the failed moments of the year overpower the positivity of the season. But the mind is a vulnerable mess at times and it slowly takes shelter under the red, green and white of the Christmas tree, it slowly lets the newness of the new year in - to wash out the unpleasantness accumulated through the year.

Yes, I take stock of the professional battles that I won and lost..some fought from the heart..some from the head..Yes I smile at the memories of road trips and travels that the year took me..snowfalls and mountains..waterfalls and croissants..all weaving a magic of travel memories for me to cherish..Yes I remember the warmth and sometimes wrath of family times..the new friends that crashed into my life this year..the old friends whom I could converse on ‘bad hair days’ to  ‘bad mom’ days…

And as 2018 splutters to the end.. I slowly bury the ‘could have been betters’ into the back drawers of the conscience, pull out the ‘ will definitely do it this times’ from the deep closets and keep it out to be utilized well in the new year..I slow down and veer off the highway of the ‘trying to be successful’ life (terms which take different meanings each day) and look at sunrise and sunset on my own terms..indulge and entertain myself with things most precious…throwing the rigidity of calories, responsibilities and work schedules to the wind..

Call it escapism or selfish joys but I am in it neck deep.. inebriated and unaware of my surroundings..just the twinkling of the Christmas stars around..just the tinkles of the celebrations of the year..’deadline-less’, ‘remorseless’ – yet another Christmas and New Year celebration!