Here We Are Again...

An entire year has passed literally like the blink of an eye. I remember starting out the year distressed and oppressed; unhappy and upset. And here I am 12 months later and I've never been happier. It's so interesting to see how time can heal wounds, fill voids and change your perception of life. 2010 was the year I grew up; "passed the age of innocence" as I've been told. I wish I could sit here and go on about how magical it was, but it was hardly that. However, it's been a year of self-discovery. I found myself and more importantly, I fell in love in 2010 - with myself! I've always heard people say, "Until and unless you love yourself, you'll never be able to love anyone else." It is only now I realize how true that statement is. And while I learnt to love myself for the good and bad, I learned to respect myself; to speak up, say no and most importantly insist on not taking any cr@p...from anyone.

As the year began, I was coming out of a tough situation. I fought long and hard with demons that wanted to bring me down. However, like many things in life, this too came to an end and I walked into a life of nonstop work. But that is what kept me going: my love for writing. I wrote and wrote. Blogs, articles, interviews, you name it, I did it. Fully absorbed in my admiration for the pen was when I realized how important I was to myself. So while I walk out of the year without a boyfriend, fiance or husband, I will never be the same girl I was on December 31st 2009. It almost feels like I was reborn in 2010 and I love it!

2010 was a year that I couldn't have gotten through without my friends. At every step of the way, my friends walked, ran and hopped with me. With their sound advice and guidance, I managed to get through a number of sticky situations. In fact, it was this year that I also went on to realize friends can know you for years and yet will bring you down...and how! I was verbally attacked on various occasions this year and while I was furious at the childish name calling, I was surprised at the support that came my way whether it was my family or friends, they all stood by me. So to those who called me a number of names I say a big-fat :P (that's a sticking-tongue-out emoticon). And in fact, bring it! I'm not afraid and nor will I retract what I write because that would mean I was wrong. I think about every article I write very carefully. So now, I will not fall at your feet. Deal with it. Don't expect me to write things you want to hear or like; it ain't happening.

Love was DOA (Dead On Arrival); i.e. non-existant in 2010 but bad health was everywhere. I managed to really get ill this year and the month of October tested my body to the maximum. After injuring my eye majorly (I still suffer on occasion - such are the repercussions) I managed to get a flu that turned into a sinus infection. It was then I realized what real pain and suffering was especially when I had a throbbing headache. But here I am, alive and kicking which goes to prove, nothing can bring you down unless you really let them.

Accomplishments were many but I'm still hungry for more and Lord knows if he blesses me, I will achieve all I want in 2011. This year I chose not to blog on 26/11 simply because I don't know what I could have said that I haven't said in the past. I came close to such an encounter on 26/11/2010. During my Thanksgiving break in Portland, Oregon, my family friends and I went to watch the lighting of the Christmas Tree in downtown Portland. And amidst the crowds and hoards of cars was a car bomb that thankfully didn't go off but the terrorist intended for it to kill as many people as possible. His car was parked at the corner where we were watching the lighting. He was caught and charged. So it's not just India, it the entire world that needs to get together to work on peace and social reform.

As for 2011, well I have my plans but as they say, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." That's a scary thought so I've decided to go with the flow. I'd like for the things to happen just the way I planned it but knowing my luck and life, God has other plans for me.