2021 A Year that was....

                                              

I am not sure how to begin this post. 2021! One of the few years that will be marked in my life. For good, better, bad and the worst. The year started off with an okay note amid Covid fears and my sister's family relocating to Texas which was a huge reason to celebrate. While they were settling in, Texas was hit with a huge snow storm that caused distress and damage to thousands of homes across Texas. By God's grace, we were one of the lucky ones that got saved. We all huddled in one of our homes and played board games in candle lights, under make shift lights, cooked with the limited vegetables we had at home and survived. Boiled water on cooktops like the good ole days, froze our food in the snow due to power cuts and what not...

Come Spring as the weather was getting better, the son fell ill. After getting all the tests done, midnight ER trips, scans, ultrasounds...he had been admitted to the ICU at UT South Western Children's Hospital. I get shivers down my spine when I think of those two weeks of nightmare the child has gone through. I pray and wish no parent to go through that hell.

Along with this, we lost two key family members back home. The anguish, the pain, the fear that enveloped all of us won't be forgotten anytime soon. Not only us but many of our close friends and relatives have lost their parents, aunts, uncles this year. The irony is most of them are around 65 years of age. That seemed like a curse number to me. I wish no more loss for any of my dear ones.

Apart from all the sadness and helplessness, God has been kind in other ways too. We both had work and it made us financially stable to think about future investment opportunities. The son graduated high school and started his college. He moved to the dorm and made us half empty nesters. Though I see him every weekend is a different story. The husband had his milestone 50th Birthday. Thanks to all the friends who made it super special. I was able to go on a couple of vacations this year and one of them being a long awaited holiday.

Owing to all the madness, I haven't read any books this year. Though I started the year with a wonderful book, it just hung there...I completed only one book that I started last year. I am not sure what I will be doing this year in terms of reading. Still in the process of finding a genre that keeps me focused. Scribbled on the blog a bit here and there. Health has been fine so far but exercise has taken a back seat for many months due to broken equipment and long hours at work. That's going to change in 2022.

I joined a drawing class and started to draw freehand after decades. I hope to continue going forward..

Last but not least, I owe it to my crazy family for putting up with me, through my mood swings, through my meltdowns, through my tantrums and my whirlwind of emotions. I know they don't have a choice. Many thanks to all those who silently walked out of my FB list, my life, my routine. That made me realise how invaluable their presence in my life was. My relationship with some has thinned, with some has thickened and the gap widened with some...God always sends angels at different times in forms of different people at various stages of my life. I realise it only much later. Thank you my guardian angels for being there when I needed you the most. And for those who chose to stay back and for those who chose to come back, what else can I say? My heart fills with pride and gratitude. 

With this, I would like to end an eventful year that did not leave us with its surprises even until the last minute. Wishing everyone in my life, in my phonebook and Facebook and the blog world, A very Healthy, Peaceful, Joyful and a painless year ahead!!