Another year goes by and yet again, like the past couple of years, gone in the blink of an eye. As I reflect upon the year 2023, it feels like an unusual year for me. Unusual, because this year was primarily dedicated to work. I have always maintained that work is just a small part of life, not life itself. That’s how it has been for me all along. Sticking to this principle has had its own fallouts though, which are both good and bad. I did miss out on those promotions and special hikes, even though I had the capability and potential (at least I think so). It was a conscious choice, as it gave me the opportunity to gain substantially from other aspects of life’s experiences. You can never have it all. And, I have no complaints. I have not been and never will be in the rat race.

This year, however, I deviated from this self-created motto of life and a large part of my life has revolved around my job. This was not how I had planned it though. I just had no choice. But the outcome of this forced situation has been an important realization. Fulfillment can come in any form and that can be work too. Probably I’ll Write about that another time rather than derailing from this post of my reflections of the year 2023.

Here’s a gist of the year 2023 as it was for me:

1. The year had started off on a bad note with certain serious health issues in the family. The month of January was a tough one.
2. Work was hectic as I already mentioned. I have never been so busy with work in my entire life.
3. Travel did happen from time to time, yet to write about them all.
   • I started the year by traveling to Palakad, Kerala where I spent a weekend at a friend’s home.
   • Thereafter we visited the town of Shravanbelagola to see the 57-foot tall monolithic Gommateshwara statue. This was the second time I had been there. On the same day we visited the tiny town of Melkote. It was one of the most charming places I have ever experienced.
   • In the month of April, I visited Majuli – the river island in Brahmaputra. It was one of the best things I did in the year 2023. During that time, I also spent a few days in Guwahati and finally went home to Shillong. The Shillong trip was special as my close friend, ‘R’, joined along.
   • Sometime during the middle of the year, I went for a short and simple hike along with a couple of friends somewhere in the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. We also spent a wonderful time in the wilderness along the banks of River Cauvery.
   • In the month of October, my sister and I walked up to Kedarnath, then walked up to Tunganath and Chandrashila. After that we went to Badrinath. Along the way, we visited some very interesting temples. During this trip, we walked 100 Km. in just 5 days.
   • I ended the year exploring lesser-known Hoysala temples in the villages of Karnataka’s Hassan district.  
4. A notable highlight of the year was my cousin’s relocation to Bangalore. Interestingly, she has joined the same workplace as me. The entire process, from scouting for a suitable rented place to establishing her new home, demanded a substantial investment of my time and energy. Another thing that kept me very busy this year.
5. Despite my hectic schedule, I have managed to maintain my disciplined lifestyle, prioritizing Yoga and Meditation. I had also begun teaching yoga in my apartment but had to discontinue due to irregular participation.
6. I’ve made an important decision in my life—tad bit risky, I would say. The specifics, I’ll leave for another time. I simply wish to document this for the sake of my own posterity.
7. I’ll conclude this list with something that pinches the most. I scarcely blogged this year. No excuses. I had enough and more to write about. Could have carved out some time too, but I didn’t. Glad I wrote this one at least!