2007... and all that

Curtains fall on an eventful year. Certainly the most eventful one for some time now. For me that is.

And while I cannot be sure whether it made me strong, it certainly made me stronger. Slight difference between the two.

The stuff that I learnt cannot probably be put across in a single blog post, it is more of a single chapter of my autobiography, if and when I decide that I would have enough readers! But here is the brief overview of what I felt:

a. Never take your loved ones for granted. NEVER. This one I learnt in more than one ways, and both the times, it made me think. Now while I am certainly not an extreme case while taking people - especially close ones - for granted, I could definitely improve. All of us can. Some, much more than others.

b. Death happens. It pains. And there is no solution to it.

c. Don't care for them who don't do the same for you. I am getting there on this one. Almost there.

d. You cannot please everyone. Learnt it the hard way, and experienced it the second time in three years. Time to infer from the same.

e. Post retirement plans could be made before you start working. And can be worked towards. It just gives you motivation to work on things you don't like.

f. Watching cricket matches in a stadium, especially when they go real close gives unparalleled joy. Especially when your girl accompanies you and wants to sit there even after India has almost lost the match.

g. Alibagh may be a decent place for a day of holiday, but Chandigarh rocks. I hope it remains the same for years to come.

h. I also learnt that I detest Delhi even more than what I did earlier. And not without reasons.

i. The myth that people like me who are very skinny and thin, and sporty (er, I mean who played a lot of sports as a child), cannot really become fat, is just that. A myth.

j. I am not a movie buff and can just not appreciate classics like 'Jab we Met', 'Guru' or the rest of the pack. Nor do I get impressed by awesome actors like Kareena Kapoor or SRK. I always knew this one, but this year, there's a resigned finality to it.

k. 'Grass is always greener on the other side' and that is because someone 'moved your grass'. Invariably, that someone is oneself. Don't worry if you didnt understand this. Nor did I.

l. Chewing gums if not chewed properly, and hot cups of tea or coffee if drunk carelessly, could nastily scald or cut one’s tongue. Chill karo. Especially the tea or the coffee, before you drink ‘em.

m. Cannot wake up for a nine o'clock lecture on a regular basis to save my life. Probably cannot do the same even to report to office. Can wake up at 5 regularly to watch matches. Will need to stay next to office. No two ways.

n. Some people invariably would think they can never be wrong. Then there are some who think that the whole world is wrong. It's best to leave both these categories of people alone. There are many others who do not fall in these two.

o. They say that whatever happens, happens for the best. It couldn't be more true. I can count atleast 4-5 such happenings happening to me, that in the hindsight were a relief, although I didn't quite enjoy 'em at that point in time.

May continue if I recollect any more such realizations, if and when they dawn upon me.