Been trying to get this article comleted since the 31st, but somehow never got the right words to express this very happening year!
It is the beginning of a new year (yet again), and hence, that time of the year when most of us get into a retrospective frame of mind combined with an eager and hopeful eye towards a happy and prosperous 'New Year'. Today, in retrospection of the year that just went by, I realised it was one of those which turned a lot of things in my life completely around and hence could not be allowed to pass by unmentioned...
With its share of laughter and tears, of new dreams and plans made and broken, achievements and losses and many many (too many) lessons, here is a final looking back to 2009...
The Year of the Most Difficult People: Last year had me dealing with a bunch of the most difficult and tiresome people I have ever had to deal with in the previous 25 years of my life all put together. (Kindly note: difficult and tiresome are the nicest things I have said about these people). The most important contributors were:
* My immediate boss ( I loved my job and firm till I met this abominable character!)
* My last client (I never liked singaporeans much before, but this did it! forgive me for the generalisation.)
* Some extremely difficult people to "work with" as my team (kindly note the quotes)
The most ruffian bunch of contractors I have had to deal with ever. And, the icing on the cake -all these came together in one single project - that shook the living daylights out of my "I am crazy about my job" attitude...
The Year of Fear and Heartache: Yeah, thanks to the 'global recession' and subsequent down cutting, I lived through the entire year expecting, at any moment, to be called into my boss's cabin at and being asked to leave - for ever. The fact that this man had the habit of calling us (individually) for the most useless (2-3 hour long) "update me on your project so I can update my bosses" discussions, only added to constant tremors and chills at regular intervals...This is the time of the year (thanks to difficult people and horrible situations) I spent simultaneously not liking my job and still not wanting to be thrown out.
* There was the heartache of hearing a lot of names that had been suddenly called into such meeting rooms and informed not to come back to work from the next day.
* There was the heartache of realizing and exeriencing a lot of things that I was blissfully unaware off while working earlier, that made me sadly turn from 'crazed about my job' to 'oh, this is such a pain'.
* There was also the heartache of knowing that on many occassions I was being played like a puppet and had no options but to walk or allowed to be played.
* There was the heartache of realizing and exeriencing a lot of things that I was blissfully unaware off while working earlier, that made me sadly turn from 'crazed about my job' to 'oh, this is such a pain'.
* There was also the heartache of knowing that on many occassions I was being played like a puppet and had no options but to walk or allowed to be played.
The Year of Tears and Embarassement: It has always been the one thing I HATE doing in front of other people (I NEVER allow others to see me cry); but the fears, heartaches, stress, helplessness and desperation (all related to my much 'loved' job) saw me shed a tear too many in front of some people that I am embarassed to think back about now. Makes me wish I had left before I did that...
The Year of the Fun Trips: The last year was one peppered with many many memorable and fun visits from friends and relatives staying over at our little home. With them we experienced some wonderful long drives to and even more wonderful stays at Bangalore, Mahabaliuram, Pondychery, Trivandrum, Resorts at ECR exloring temples, palaces dams, arks, boating and what not. The year was full of lovely meetings with old friends and amazing trips. These memories shall last forever...and hopefully so shall the friendships...
The Year of Humungous Changes: There have been so many Major changes that came about in 2009 that it has been a complete roller coster ride:
* One of the first big change was my heart finally taking over my brain (or was it the other way round? Im still not sure) and deciding that after 3 years I really didn't deserve the treatment I recieved and hence deciding to leave my job.
* Then there were the huge plans and steps taken towards starting a new venture, which were later deemed not feasible and dropped...a lot of studies, discussions, drives, plans and finally all get dropped...Change and more change...
* Then came the big bang news that changed all other plans (of finding a new job that I had been interviewed and selected for in chennai and so on) - the confirmation of a step towards another supreme job, motherhood...
* Then, even as we were fretting over my managing in Chennai at home in this stage while Pradeep worked long hours, came an even bigger announcement of his having landed a job and shifting to trivandrum
* The final big change was ofcourse, shifting base from Chennai to Trivandrum, getting used to living at home, expecting, sitting idle and all other adjustments that came with living at home....
* Then there were the huge plans and steps taken towards starting a new venture, which were later deemed not feasible and dropped...a lot of studies, discussions, drives, plans and finally all get dropped...Change and more change...
* Then came the big bang news that changed all other plans (of finding a new job that I had been interviewed and selected for in chennai and so on) - the confirmation of a step towards another supreme job, motherhood...
* Then, even as we were fretting over my managing in Chennai at home in this stage while Pradeep worked long hours, came an even bigger announcement of his having landed a job and shifting to trivandrum
* The final big change was ofcourse, shifting base from Chennai to Trivandrum, getting used to living at home, expecting, sitting idle and all other adjustments that came with living at home....
The Year of Realization, Shocks and Acceptance of People: 2009 has been big on lessons (mainly regarding people):
* It taught me that the people we are closest to, shall still "always" put themselves before us and are actually very different to what we might havethought of them to be forever in our life.
* Once I came upon the many things "not to like" about these people, was shocked at my own blindness all these years, fretted over the 'adjustments' one had to make owing to ones situations, eventually, I learned that patience, acceptance and tolerance were the only tools that would make relations last and be stress free...(and mind you these are strong blood ties I am talking about).
* It was also an year that taught me to make new friends or contact old friends with absoluteley no expectations of long lasting friendships. This year with many people who came and went through it, taught me that friendships mostly meant "to be there when needed" and hope that you shall be remembered forever...
* Once I came upon the many things "not to like" about these people, was shocked at my own blindness all these years, fretted over the 'adjustments' one had to make owing to ones situations, eventually, I learned that patience, acceptance and tolerance were the only tools that would make relations last and be stress free...(and mind you these are strong blood ties I am talking about).
* It was also an year that taught me to make new friends or contact old friends with absoluteley no expectations of long lasting friendships. This year with many people who came and went through it, taught me that friendships mostly meant "to be there when needed" and hope that you shall be remembered forever...
I sign out from this year with a lot of lessons learnt,
And many a happy moments earned.
With a Heavy heart for the many goodbyes
But also with new hopes and dreams shining bright in my eyes.....
I enter 2010, wiser with many lessons learnt from tough experiences; tougher for the difficult situations and people (those I decided to leave for good and those I learnt to love despite everything), somehow hardened with many realizations and shocks but still happier and full of Hope for the expected and the unforeseen...
Heres Wishing you all a slightly belated but a very Magical 2010....
