169th day of the year

Its that time of the year again. The 169^th day of the year – with 196 days of the years remaining.  Here comes my birthday !  The last year has been unusually kind to me, but not in the grant-me-happiness-while- I-sit-here-waiting way, but more in a I-shall-grab-happiness-myself way. In the last one year, I have taken more chances, laughed more, danced more than ever in my life before. I have loved the 42 to 43 transition. It has been smooth , joyful and full of gobs of fun.  Here are some of the new milestones in my life in the last one year :

My review papers : This year, I did not just think of new scientific experiments, I actually spent lots of time deep analysis of science. I  floated theories and made wild speculations and sent all that wildness to peer reviewed journals. To my surprise, my ideas were received well.  I published several reviews effortlessly. This year was a new beginning. I have evolved. I have grown as a scientist.

Dance  : I danced, oh how I danced this year ! Dancing has always been my first love. The dancing that starts from the first moment you listen to the beat and let it flow through your body till you are flowing freely with the music, not caring who is watching, not caring if your dance steps make sense, not caring if you miss a step somewhere. This year, I danced more than I ever have.  I danced with young people, children and also older fuddy duddies.  I celebrated life with the most crazy dancing ever.

Meeting up with old classmates : I have taken out time to meet up with childhood friends, and how I have loved every moment of it ! For an hour or so, I would do time travel and  transform into the thirteen year old Sujata with stars in my eyes. I have laughed at the same jokes, been defensive about the same insecurities and realized how far I have traveled in life, and how well.

  Parasailing : I had promised myself I would do this, and I am glad I did not let myself down by backing out. I flew in the sky, finally ! For some moments, I was touching the sky, my hands outstretched, with only the aquamarine sea below me. The world looked, faraway. I became a part of the cosmos. 

Underseawalking : Yes, I walked in the depths of the sea. On the sea floor, my feet touched, then floated, then touched again. I waved a piece of bread, and thousands of fish, in bursting colors collected around me. It was amazing, it was beautiful. It was like the universe whispering in my ear, ‘Look ! Here I am ! Grab me in fistfuls!’

And so ends my 42^nd year, leaving me breathless, excited and full of wonder. No birthday of my life has found me this alive before. Something tells me that this year will be even better. I have promised myself that this list of adventures will be even longer next year. Bring on those 43 candles ! We will make 43 a magic number !