Pedalling the cycle of life

A fortnight after the year has ended, its time for a performance review of 2008. If I had to describe the year in one word, that word would be 'HELL'. 2008 has really pushed me to the edge. It has tested my patience, my emotions, my sanity. This year I saw it all. I flunked for the very first time in my life – flunked my MA exams. I lost my dog who was my baby since the past 14 years and then, when I hadn't even managed to cope with all of that, I lost the most important person in my life – my dad. At the start of the year I took off flying, but then fell flat on my face, then managed to stagger up again, and got knocked down again, then stood up once again and so on and so forth.

It's funny how people say "Oh, you are a really strong person. If I were at your place, I would've lost it long back." I used to say that when I would hear of someone losing a loved one. But you know, it's not as easy. You can't just give up; you can't as easily lose your sanity. Life — the bitch that she is — has to be lived. And while living this bitchy little life, you realize certain inevitable truths of life. Time will keep slipping away like sand through your fingers. Everybody will leave and you will mourn the loss with a crazed passion, until time does what it does best – heals you.

There will be times when even in a room full of people you will be locked up in some dark somber corner of your mind reliving every single painful detail of the miseries in your past, weeping with dry eyes. But there'll also be times when standing at the doorway of a local compartment when the bloodshot full moon has just risen on the horizon, with the wind beating on your face and Chris Martin crooning in your ears, you feel sublime bliss.

There'll be times when being born seems like the worst thing to ever have happened to you. You wouldn't for the life of you want to get out of bed and report for duty. Little tip, if you ever have any hope of getting out of that depression, don't stay in bed, don't stay home. Because, as the saying goes, 'No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.'

People will come, people will leave. Miseries will multiply, good times will arrive. The sun will set every single day, but it will rise again tomorrow. Unlike James Hetfield's words which say 'No one but me can change myself, but it's too late', it's never too late; life is always waiting for you to join the fun. To conclude, I would like to add yet another quote to this highly preachy blog, and it goes, 'I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it' - Rita Mae Brown. J