Reminiscing 2018

The month of December had arrived quite a while back and taken a quiet seat in the humdrum of daily activities. Before I realized, we are already near the end of the month and in just another blink we will get done with the year 2018.

As I write this post sitting in a hotel room at Diu overlooking the Arabian Sea, I recall last December when I had written a similar post soaking in the winter sun trickling onto the varendah of my parent’s home at my hometown, Shillong. I clearly remember waiting for a cousin who was delayed in picking me up for a family lunch get-together. I had made good use of the waiting time reminiscing the year 2017 and writing a post about it. It feels like that was just yesterday. Where the hell does all the time go?

The years seem to be wheezing by for a while now and at the end of each year I have the same question – Where did all the 365 days go? Sometimes I really wonder if the earth has started spinning faster or if its axes has undergone any alteration. With all the technological advancements and automation shouldn’t we be having more time for ourselves? Instead, we are always pressed for time.  Well, that’s another discussion altogether.

As the curtains are about to be pulled on 2018, my mind does a quick flashback on the year that was. A lot has happened and it was a mix of good and bad. However, when we reflect on the past we become consciously selective and want to remember only the good. Guess it’s a choice we make quite consciously and it also aligns to my motto of practicing positivity and gratitude.

So, here’s a quick flashback of the top 10 cherished moments of 2018:

  1. First of all, I trekked to the Himalayas twice this year – Rupin Pass and Kashmir Great Lakes. Both these belong to the category of moderate to difficult and to think that there was a time when I used to think such treks are beyond my league.
  2. I started running and now a 3 – 5 Km run is part of my regular workout. All thanks to the preparation for the two Himalayan treks. Again, there was a time when I used to think I can never run. I still struggle and don’t think I can ever run a marathon but I am happy to have had a good start.
  3. This year, as always, I took off on my birthday and spent the day at Bekal Fort including two days in the beaches of Kasargod and Mangalore
  4. A major upheaval happened at work I managed to maintain calm in the face of storm and today things are not perfect but so much better.
  5. This year I delved a lot deeper into spirituality and discovered a couple of books that have had a significant impact on me. I feel I am a better person today or at least I am sincerely trying to be one.
  6. An entire month of this year I spent travelling – something I had never done before.
  7. All through the year, I had someone or the other visiting me and staying at my home. Friends, some of them long lost, surprised me and added so much colour to the otherwise monotonous everyday life.
  8. Life threw up a tough situation at me, something that I never thought would happen to me. I have managed to pass that test successfully. And, I did that by actually putting into action certain theoretical knowledge that I had gathered while designing certain leadership training at work dealing with mindfulness and positivity and the neuroscience behind all these.
  9. WordPress gave me a couple of meaningful connections, people I can call friends, people with whom I have connected beyond the blogging world and shared a piece of my life. I never thought something like this was possible.
  10. Last but not in any way the least, right now I am on a trip with my parents across some places of Gujarat. What better way to end the year than doing what I love doing – traveling.

Author: neelstoria

Traveling, Gardening, Trekking, Hiking, Storytelling, Writing, Nature, Outdoors, Yoga, DIY

33 thoughts on “Reminiscing 2018”

  1. I can relate to so many points here- 2, 4, 5, 8, 9. 😁

    Yes, time passes so quickly, that I don’t even have the account of all the important events that changed me into the person I’m today. Although I have good memories and a feeling that whatever happened was for a reason. Wish you the best for the coming year. May you travel more, learn more and keep inspiring me with your anecdotes.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Happy New Year, Hariom! I sincerely wish 2019 gives you even greater memories and you keep evolving towards a better human being each day 🙂
      I think I do understand that some of those points resonate with you too 😀
      And, with the second one I am very glad to know that you’ve started running too.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Thank you so much. That’s very kind of you. Yes, I have a couple more travels in mind in 2019 and highlight previous ones I have not published yet. Best to you in your travels and posts. I enjoy them. 😊

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  3. What a great year yo had. Traveling all through the year is a great thing. At times I also feel that the world is spinning faster.
    Blogging is a great platform to make friends and am glad you also made friends. Wish you have an equally enjoyable 2019 with many more travels and treks to the Himalayas. Btw daily 3km running is a great achievement.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Happy New Year, Balaka! My good wishes to you as we step into 2019, let this year be a great one for you. We might get to see another book from you 🙂
      I really had no idea that blogging would enable me to connect with some of the most wonderful people and that really gives me a lot of joy.

      Like

      Reply

  5. Good to read this. Ending the year travelling is something really nice. And 2 Himalayan treks! What better!

    Another big positive is the running, something which I’m always planning but never being able to start.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Happy to know that you have been able to walk past all the challenges thrown at you. There’s something nice about traveling. I remember someone said that people love traveling because it is escapism! Escaping from our daily lives rather than facing them. Well, there’s some truth in it but not entirely. I think in the end, it is all about our happiness. we don’t have to justify it to someone else. Right? Happy traveling!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Happy New Year, Arvind. My very good wishes to you for 2019. May you get to do more of the wonderful things that you do and may we get to see much more of Jaipur from you.
      Traveling is escapism but only for a short while. And, I think one is more mindful and present during travel. Being mindful at other times doesn’t quite happen as you are busy with myriads of things of daily living. And yes, to each his won so why even justify 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I agree. Sometimes we fail to see things around us in our daily lives because we are so preoccupied!
        We don’t have to justify anything to anyone. The bottom line is that we have to be happy.
        Thanks for your good wishes, Neelanjana! Hope we will get to meet someday in person. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

    1. A Happy New Year to you! I have been enjoying your posts but never asked how I can address you. Would IJ do?
      I am sure you will keep travelling the nooks and corners of our vast country in 2019 as well. Looking forward to learning so much more from all your posts. Can’t wait for Meghalaya right now. Hope you had a good time.
      I did not do Rann 😦
      Had to pace the travel according to my parents and it would have been too much travel for them. So, will do that another time.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. You are absolutely one of them 🙂
      I used the word ‘couple’ loosely here to mean a few :D, five to be exact!
      Though one of the five belongs to 2017.
      And, right now I am thinking that it must have quite painful for you to read this post without doing a postmortem, given the grammatical errors it has.
      A very hurried post, I clarify 😛
      And, I take this opportunity to say thank you for being a part of my journey in 2018 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  9. Wonderful to know that you stood up to the challenges of 2018 and came out with flying colours 🙂 I have been a little sceptical about attempting Himalayan treks but reading that you too were at one point of time, inspires me to keep pushing in the hopes that I’ll pull it off in the future! Also, even though running a Marathon may be out of bounds for now, I think the fact that you have incorporated running in your daily life is an amazing feat in itself.
    Your Bekal fort post was how I came to know that the iconic video of ‘Uyire Uyire’ was shot there 🙂
    And I agree, travelling does open up a different side of the mundane world to us, as if we become hyper-aware to the little things we take for granted.
    Here’s wishing you even more travelling, trekking and exploring in 2019! May you continue to enthrall us with your wonderful accounts of the experiences 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. You know a mountain lover like you must go to the Himalayas. Rather it’s surprising that you haven’t done it so far. And, with so many Sahyadris under your belt you shouldn’t be one bit sceptical. My first trek to the Himalayas was the first ever trek of my life and I am so thankful for having done that on an impulse. At that time, I had no clue about what a trek entails. And, after doing that I would think treks like Rupin are way out of my league. Just go for it and go for a moderate or difficult one. I would love to read your experience of the Himalayas 🙂
      BTW, I don’t know how I should address you. Not sure I have seen your name anywhere in your posts. I might have have missed it though.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Thank you so much for your encouraging words! There are few things that I would like more than setting foot in the Himalayas but somehow the pieces haven’t fallen in place ever since I realistically started giving it a thought. But I’ll make sure I head to one the next time opportunity presents itself, irrespective of whether things fall in place or not! 😀
        And nope, I haven’t mentioned my name on the blog. I prefer writing under this nom de plume. I hope you don’t mind me not disclosing my name here on WordPress. You can address me by this pen-name or simply ‘N’, if the former is too long 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

Leave a comment