Reflections on still water

At no point of time in the last twelve odd years did I think that I would be happy to take a year off work, without any specific plans, just have a bit of a long break. That just wasn't my style! Not my way of thinking. I liked breaks, enjoyed travelling, meeting people, seeing places, doing things and all that. But at the back of my mind there was always the thought that such a thing couldn't really go on forever. Or even for a limited but unknown period of time.

Having spent the best part of this past year doing just that, though, I've found myself enjoying the experience immensely!! Who would have thought, right, eleven months of relaxing and travelling and visiting family and learning a language and reading and re-discovering my love for PC gaming could be so much fun? :-)

I jest of course, though only in part. Having no clue about what's about to happen in life can be a disconcerting experience. And even believing in God, as I do, trusting Him to know what he's doing and just enjoying each day as it comes can be difficult. As human beings, I feel, we aren't best pleased when feeling completely put of control of our future. But managing to get my eyes away from focusing too much on the future has rather helped me get more involved with the present!

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It has indeed been a fantastic year! Weddings, successfully attended and otherwise, and a funeral. Trips to places known and unknown. Finding a sense of home that only time can build. Getting to know Norway a little better through the language. It has all been a slow accumulation, along with the occasional clusters of real high point! :-)

I even got a little closer to writing more. I know, I never really finished that series of posts I'd planned about our road trip around Vestlandet, but who knows, that might yet happen :-). But I feel, after a gap of some years, I am back to expressing my thoughts more clearly through written words rather than resorting to just a succession of recountings.

All this takes time. And over time different things competing over those never-changing twenty-four hours leads to some being muscled out by others. Some obviously and/or noticeably, others less so. There's also the issue of too much happening, that stirs up the general state of life. Reflecting is best done over calm waters, as is evidenced by many hundreds of photos I have taken at sea. The same can be said of the mind I think. A bit of time can go a long way :-). The trick of course is finding a way to it regularly enough.

The end of this year has been somewhat representative of the rest. Periods of time spent busily, others leisurely. Time spent with family. Time spent travelling and experiencing new things. The last couple of weeks in England with family for Christmas has been simultaneously eventful and yet relaxing. A sort of a holiday to end the holiday :-).

With one major exception. I knew in December that January means a return to the 5-day work week. What that means is of course yet to be seen, but I'm extremely optimistic:-). And that is a feeling I hope is one that dominates the coming year!

Forgotten flavours

Swirls rising, driven by forces unseen, yet seemingly of their own accord. What are these puppeteers' strings that pull this way and that? Where do they come from, where do they go? Whether the swirls be of dust, snow or thoughts, these are questions without answers. Or so it seems.

One might believe that close observation or introspection would provide answers. But is that merely egotism? Then again, do we really gain much from answers to such queries? :) Let's follow one of these swirls then, and ignore for the moment where it has come from, or why.

Visiting old places, by which I mean places I used to be familiar with at one time but am no longer, has over the last few years given me the strongest feelings of melancholy. Memories from the past overshadowing the happenings of the present and thus making the latter feel poorer by comparison.

Last week, however, I had something of an epiphany. Today's happenings are tomorrow's memories. Knowing this, why would I tinge my future memories with sadness when the alternative exists?! Now the harder question. Is realisation of a choice enough to be able to exercise it? I guess at least it's a step in the right direction. :)

It's been a good trip this! Despite the realisation that I've now become more used to the climate in Asker than Kolkata. Granted, the heightened levels of particulates and smoke in the city this winter, thanks to less than usual monsoon rains, had something to do with that. Still. Acceptance demands humility. But acceptance in turn provides peace.

Case in point, I can no longer drive through Kolkata traffic as quickly as I used to. On the other hand, I enjoy driving here a great deal more... Fair trade. :)

It is, however, now time to head back. Speaking of which, it appears snow has made it's way to Asker already, and this time seems to be sticking around. Hopefully long enough to give the cross country skis a bit of an outing in the week that we're in Norway!

In a year that has been liberally punctuated with travel, the end seems to be happily chuntering along to an appropriate finale. :)