I turn 50 this weekend – another milestone in this journey
called life. And what an adventure this
life has been! As I reflect upon half a
century of life on this Earth, I am thankful for all that I have: a family I
adore, a life so full of experiences that most people only read about, and friends…dear
friends.
We are made up of bits and pieces - the family we grew up
in, the friends we have had relationships with, the experiences we’ve had. I don’t say it enough, but I love my family:
my parents, obviously, for bringing me into this world, bringing me up, for the
sacrifices they’ve made to make sure that we were all provided for. It sounds clichéd but being a parent has made
me realize how tough & never-ending this “job” is - sleepless nights, tough
decisions made, sacrifice, anxiety, elation, mistakes and love, so much love.
I am thankful for friends who have remained steadfast
through the years no matter how long or far apart we have stayed, they are the ones
with whom I can pick up where we left off as if I was never gone. I am thankful for the new friends I’ve made
in our semi-nomadic life, living in four different countries in the last few
decades. I have learnt that a) you’re
never too old to make good friends, b) friends come in many shapes, sizes,
colors & backgrounds, and c) no matter who or where we are & where we
come from, fundamentally, deep down inside, we all want the same things in
life: love, & good health for our
families & ourselves.
I am even thankful for those used-to-be good friends who
have since drifted away; whether due to family or work commitments or just the
fact that priorities change as life situations change, I want to say thank you
for your friendship in the past.
Many people ask if I have any regrets in taking the path I
have taken. I can’t say that I
have. If I had known then what I know
now, I probably would have chosen a different field of study, or made different
decisions or taken different actions.
But as they say, hindsight is always 20-20, and I DIDN’T know then what
I know now. So whatever paths taken
& forks in the path chosen were done so for the right reasons at the
time. So, no… no regrets.
Because my family & friends are scattered throughout the
globe, I have decided to celebrate not my 50th birthday, but my 50th
year - a series of celebrations with
loved ones whenever the opportunity arises in whichever country I happen to be
in. 50.1 & 50.2 have already taken
place in the USA. I look forward to the
rest!
