This is an ode to what has been a busy year full of unfinished thoughts and thankfully unrealized fears, at least for some of us. If any year warrants a year-end summary post, I figured it was this one.
I want to say I’m going to miss those 2020 memes. But this was still the year that took Kobe, RBG, George Floyd and 1.82 million others due to Covid alone, so I’m going to put that thought away.
I’m not going to lie, there have been lows – anxiety ruled us. It was a year where we had to butt into other people’s lives and decide whom to let in, based on how they get their child care or whom they meet to stay sane. The decibel level in our house has gone up many notches. Family codes of common decency and mutual respect were broken in some instances. One can only hope the damage is not irreparable.
There have been regrets otherwise too, things we could have said and done better. This was one unique year where I had a special kind of regret. I may have offended pretty much everyone I was lucky enough to talk to. No excuses. There were too much self-pity with all that was going on, and at some point, it just got out of hand. Praying it’s not irredeemable now that I have realized it. I like to think that I have started making amends. My wish for 2021 is that along with the vaccine, I hope to get my kindness back.
I may have missed the boat on hot chocolate bombs and Dalgona, but here are my highs here this year:
- Finished a book – only one (not counting the children’s books), but that’s a start.
- Learnt a lot at work.
- Did a lot of baking and loads of cooking.
- Completed a five minute plank challenge.
- Meditated 14 hours this year – again, a good start.
- Completed a Surya Namaskar challenge.
- Hiked and walked a lot with the kids.
- Finally did the Potato chip hike, and a solo hike with Chaitu after years.
- Got pampered by him, this was the first year he made cake(s) for me, and knowing how intimidating baking is for him, that’s nothing short of a grand gesture :).
- Many many video calls with family and especially friends.
- Ate a lot of veggies this year – surprising for a vegetarian but hope to keep this going.
- Was very mindful about food wastage in order to minimize grocery trips, and this is one good adult habit I always wanted to learn.
- Didn’t miss any milestones of our two year old, the physical, mental and the verbal ones. This was the year she went from thankoo to thank-you, and we were there for the transition. Loved all the cuddles, cute words and the spontaneous games and giggles. Also braved the tantrums and the meltdowns, but were there to enjoy this cute age in person.
- Saw our five year old “mature” into a six year old. Felt pride at his creativity and how effortlessly he navigated virtual school. He produced a lot more things this year as “an artist” that he calls himself and it was wonderful to be his audience and consumer.
- Every day with the kids came with challenges and there absolute regrets in how we could have been better parents, but the best thing this year was to witness the blossoming of a beautiful bond between the two kids.
- Appreciated my husband a lot more this year. I guess 23-yr olds are indeed capable of making great choices. I like to think this year made us stronger together. I grew as a person and a spouse and hope to keep that going next year.
- This was also a year when my family and siblings had a wish and a prayer come true. That was definitely the best gift 2020 gave us. Hopefully we can talk about it more next year.
SO – it would be unfair to say that 2021 should be better. 2020 was not all bad, but it was hard. Hard not to see people we love and even those we don’t. But that will only make it sweeter when all this goes away.
On that note and with a little prayer – that May 2021 be easier for all of us – signing off.
