France, friends and more

A year of France..friendships and the world wide network of ‘like-boated individuals’…a wrap up of the year cannot be completed without peeping into the ‘French journeys’ of the year…

So what commenced as a regular ‘training’ program turned into an exhilarating experience..of travels into France…of travels into my mind and quarters that were so unknown to me…of travels into the lives of individuals who live in extreme corners of the world..a journey we all embarked on…

A group of individuals around the world..who came together…and then started patching up..flocking into groups…spreading into a tapestry of friendship and finally ending the year as one big happy family…we started to give more as we never knew we could…we started to take more as we never knew we had..we started to share more as we never knew how much we possessed…we started to know ourselves more as we almost could not recognize the mirror..we started to explore more about others as we never knew boundaries anymore..

And Paris and the charming town of Chantilly played the perfect host to our frequent meet-ups..sometimes shining its sunny magnificence..sometimes sprinkling magical flakes of snow and sometimes pouring us with rainy affection…I literally saw the seasons transform each time I landed in the castle venue of our trainings. I realized that you can never get enough of Paris and the French charms of little towns..the magic never ends in each bite into the buttery sinful croissant..the awe never fades as you see the holy Notre Dame shimmer in the background of starry Parisian nights…the excitement never dies as you see the Eiffel tower sprouting into the sky..the lethargy of Parisian cafes and the aesthetics of its streets grows on you and slowly it creeps into your habits and before I could realize it, I was in love..

But more than the city and the little villages of Normandy that I explored and the elegance of Chantilly, it was the comradery amongst a circle of friends so diverse..so disparate…so geographically spread out that was both stunning and satisfying to me..the dinner conversations that would give me glimpses of life in a small town in Europe..the heart-baring sessions where I saw more of ‘me’ in others and more of ‘others’ in me…the eccentric dancing and music that liberated and entertained like no other experience..at the end of it – I took home a lot more than my souvenirs and course material…more laughs, more tears and a wall of friends whom I could count on…whom I could tear my hair with..whom I could tap into for ‘corporate wisdom’ or simply cherish as a happy memory..

At the end, I knew not whether it was the end or the start to a journey..but this year would be the year of our Venga Bus..of our Venga Boat and of a lifetime of soulmates whom I stumbled upon on life’s journey through 2018.

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!