Welcome 2026 !

Another year ran past in a blink or two. It at least felt that quick. Here I am with my promise of sharing my window seat view of seeing the time go past in this year.

World continued to be multiple randomly placed piles of Dynamite with notorious kids in statesmen costumes carelessly running around with burning torches in their hands. Although no new war started, many days felt as if a war was about to start somewhere in the world. Financial markets, job situation worsened in many parts of the world and so did the feeling of security and even safety. However things can always get better. With that thought here is my personal recap of the year.

On a personal front it has been nice. Rarely would I get to visit India twice in a year and 2025 offered that opportunity. It indeed brought me closer to family, cousins and nieces and nephews. A very important need especially after the not so pleasant ER trip earlier in the year.

Would love to repeat the India trips and equally love to never experience the ER Trip again.😇

The India trips, as I mentioned, were great to relax and reconnect, not only with family and friends but also with myself. Visiting the places from my childhood and early twenties were meditative and calming. 

The trip in summer when the whole family travelled was extra special with celebrations. We celebrated my younger son's birthday (1st time in 15 years we were in India on his birthday), Our wedding anniversary (another 1st in 21 years, this was the 1st time we were in India on our anniversary since the day we got married in 2004), also my Mother-in-law and my sister-in-law's birthdays again first times in a few decades. The joy of celebrating these as a family is such a blessing and living that once again was great. 

A trip to Amritsar is always special, and I could do that this time. Reconnecting with cousins, their kids and my aunt who had successfully fought cancer this year was extra special. Karaoke in my college friend's house was like a time travel, we both sang as wonderfully as we used to in the corridors of our Dorm 3 decades ago, and there was no warden to be worried about. 😎

More recently a quick trip to St John Island summed up the year in a relaxing vacation. Cooling off from the work and other races that are mandatory to be able to earn and enjoy the pleasures of life. Special mention here (and gratitude)  to some amazing coworkers who make the work journey worthwhile.

Overall with 2025 ending and 2026 starting, I hope this becomes and stays a better year in all respects that the previous one. 

I have been keeping a list of items to focus for last few years and will repeat those as reminders and a renewed commitment!

Humanity - OSOR (One Species One Race) is the only way. It may feel difficult some days especially when the global leadership doesn't seem to be aligned, but those days are more reason to commit to OSOR.

Family – Is the root to the tree I call my life. Additionally it is the flowers and the fruits that make this tree worthy. My trip to the ER was a reminder of how ill health can impact everyone near you, so I am committing to focus on health for the family. Thanks to last night's New Year celebration and my dear friend imploring us all to announce resolutions (on camera), I am writing mine here to ensure my commitment "continue to focus on physical and mental health and stay healthy in a holistic way."

Children - Changed this from 'kids' to 'children' as some of you are not kids any more. Stay focused and hopeful always. Dream big, make commitments to yourselves and work hard to meet those commitments. Make the world around you a better place. You are the world that we all will share in years to come and you are the hope, so do better than how our generation has done.

Friends - Lucky to have each one of you. You are the reason and without you everything feels unreasonable. So be there on the other side of the phone sharing a joke or a news, or on the other side of the table sharing a meal. know that you are always on one side of the heart and that is what keeps it beating.  

Self – As I am committing things to family and friends above, so in continuation stating my promise to never stress the small stuff (and it is all the small stuff). Agreed I borrowed this from the book with the same title, but no better way to sum up this commitment. I commit to steer the actions with intent to maintain physical, mental and spiritual health. Another commitment to write more frequently and deliberately. 

Celebration - Even if there are challenges, look for those reasons and moments to celebrate. Life will always provide those, be vigilant to witness those times and be deliberate in celebrating those moments every time.

Almighty - When the world at a macro level or at a micro level appears to be losing hope, knowing that you have a bigger plan is the key. Let us never try to find what the bigger plan is, but still believe that almighty has a bigger plan to make everything better. Like kids on the back seat of the car with a parent on the wheel, just ensure your seatbelt is secure, you are not making any mess or screaming or any of that distraction, let the parent drive and enjoy the ride. Have faith that you will reach the destination.

With this faith let us sunset 2025 and archive it in memories, tighten the seat belt and get on the journey of 2026.

May 2026 be a Blessed Year !