Saal Mubarak

Till late last night, when the year 2008 was inching towards its end, overwhelming despondency was what I felt, I would admit.
What else could one could expect, I consoled myself, when all around we had seen some of the most troubling moments served by fate & nature all the year round – financial meltdown, Bihar floods, temple stampedes, communal & regional riots, along with some murders and rapes thrown in for good measure.
Moments of joy like Abhinav Bindra’s gold medal, N-deal’s passage and Rock On were few and far in between. And, at the end, when it seemed nothing worse could happen, Mumbai was attacked brazenly, the shadow of which loomed high.
I, along with few friends (wife & son were away), tried to shake off this shroud of gloom, gyrating over rustic beats of “Oye Lucky” and “Singh is King” around a small bonfire but in the end, went to sleep as depressed as ever, after exchanging lukewarm wishes of Happy New Year.
This morning, however, as I stepped out, it was a warm & bright sunshine which greeted me, and the gloom of last night suddenly evaporated.
I pride myself on not being a romantic but the sight of beautiful bouqets and a contented, happy smile from the flower-vendor was all it took to instantly fill me up with hope and cheer again.
I now feel strangely comforted and confident of myself. I also wish that each one of us is able to put down one’s demons firmly down, to have a really Happy, Peaceful, Prosperous Year 2009!
Cheers