Monday, June 17, 2013

169th day of the year

Its that time of the year again. The 169th 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 42nd 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 ! 

7 comments:

  1. Badtameez dil maane na, age kya hai jaane naa. Incidentally, happened to click your last year's post on ur bday n liked it more. Am sure u r as poetic still n will prove so in a post soon. Happy bday (belated)! N am sure dance is not just on badtameez dil but Chandni n all that in between :)

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  2. Thanks Sandeep :) Yes, I guess I was more poetic last year, and hopefully the mood will strike soon. And of course, dance has many forms - Slow dancing on 'Kaali kaali aankhon' from 'Ek thi daayan' puts you in a hypnotic trance :) Thanks a lot for your words.

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    1. ROFL.....while waiting 4 poetic you, met funny you here :-) And I agree the only way I can be forced to be awake listening to sleepy Kaali-kaali is to see ur slow dance.

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  3. Sandeep, sleepy Kaali Kaali is actually very hypnotic, with sinister undercurrents, have you seen the movie its featured in ?

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  4. :-) Not seen the movie. Could convince my raanjhanaa to see raanjhanaa with me alluding her simile to the title role but couldn't dare tell her on same logic to see ek thi daayan for fear of her morphing into its title role. Glanced thru the song on youtube but may be u r right, in its context in movie it may b hypnotic. Will need more courage and motivation despite ur best efforts so far to make the movie creep onto me :-)

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  5. Seen Raanjhana, Sandeep Khurana ? I have seen it twice - and cant get enough of it !! :)

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    1. Saw it only once...liked the intensity, how slowly Kundan's character becomes endearing n the "hatke love story" part but am not too forgiving of the impact it can have on young minds. Slitting wrists, slapping, stalking, suicidal end- is all rather noir...no? It has wrong message too in the name of love.

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