An Year That Was

Too many things happen in a day let alone a year. In 2012 too many unexpected things happened. Things that made me look back and analyze. Situations that made me weak and question myself. Experiences that made me stronger and may be a lot less of a cry baby. I was losing myself yet discovering a new person. A person I somehow did not know existed.

It all started on Jan 1st 2012 when I jumped off a cliff in Oludeniz in Turkey. People call it paragliding and for the first five minutes of the gliding I called it 'the-biggest-mistake-of-my-life'. I found out I could flash my brilliant smile with my legs dangling in the air a few thousand metres above sea level. I conquered my fear of heights.

Then came the shift to Perth. I packed our bags, my two and a half years and his six years of existence in Singapore into cartons and suitcases. I said good bye to a city I had come to love. I said farewell to the pubs which made me drinks at happy hour rates even if I shimmered in past the hour. With much sorrow I said bye to my friends. I taught myself to deal with separation.

Perth, Sydney and friends. I realized how much certain people know me. People who go way back to the days of pinafores and pig tails. Friends without whom school life would've been a bland memory. Friends I met after a decade. Friends with whom conversations simply don't end. I discovered that school friendships are like wine. They mature over the years. Rich and fluid, warming you up from deep inside.

Loss. A personal loss. Ammoomma. The woman who stood by my through thick and thin, through illness and good health, through my failures and small victories.I don't know if I would ever be able to love someone like she loved me. Unconditionally. Sans conditions. Loved me for who I am and not for who I became. She was in a lot of pain and when she was finally at peace I wanted to console myself that death was a relief for her. With her life she taught me to love, to care and to respect. With her death she taught me to cope with bereavement.

As for reading, it was an awesome year. I devoured 107 books in 2012. Here's my reading list.

http://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/257337

I concentrated on Christie's Poirot and completed all the novels featuring him. I was heartbroken when he died of old age in "The Curtain".That is the magic every author should aspire to concoct. Binding the readers in the magic weave of your words. Spell binding them to your characters, making them feel the pains and joys of the characters. Once again I realized there is no smell better than the smell of paper and no joy greater than losing yourself in the pages of a book.

We celebrated this new year in Srilanka along with our family. We spend an excellent week in Kandy eating, shopping, sightseeing and chit chatting. I picked up a few English books by Srilankan authors and they have not disappointed me.

I hope this year would involve a lot of time with family and friends, good books, good wines and a whole lot of love.

Wishing all readers a very Happy New Year! May all your dreams come true and this year mine too!!