2008…. Alvida*….

I started writing this post, and then scrapped it… and then restarted…. and then scrapped it. This is my third attempt…. and the reason why I have scrapped it twice is not because I don’t know what I want to say… I’m just not quite sure how to present it….

Half way through the year, I lost something very precious. The person who I loved so dearly decided that we were not going in the direction which was possibly destined for us. If you are reading this today, I just hope, wish and pray that Allah gives you the patience with someone else. I know it took a while for me to get stable on my two feet, for us to try and gain some stability, but these are the challenges that we face in everyday life. Sometimes you win…. sometimes  you don’t. Maybe it was not meant to be for us, and inshallah we can have happier days going forward.

At work, I started the year with a few challenges – good ones. I was given responsibilities at work which I did not expect at the end of 2007. The year is ending very positively on this front too. There is always a stigma, a label which us Asians attatch to ourselves, especially in the Western side of the world. I think Russell Peters put it well in the sketch below. Asian people (read Indian and Pakistani folk) will always complain how hard it is to get ahead in a non-asian work environment. I have worked in a majority Asian environment to know that the thinking of our people is screwed up. Our types love to complain, moan, bitch…. there aren’t many of us who just get on with it. Keeping that in mind, I think the ‘wins’ which I have enjoyed this year reflect the amount of hard work which I have put in. I can hope and pray that the next year is as just to me as this year has been!

2008 was also an eventful year on the international scene. I think the second half of the year was unpredictable at the start of the year. The 3 things which stood out for me were:

1. The Olympics in China – I think these will be impossible to match for a very long time. The organisation, and the spectacular nature of the games was very very impressive.
2. Obama – I first heard about Obama when he was elected into the senate in 2004. Since then I have been sporadically following his progress, and really got on the bandwagon once the democratic primaries got underway. His election has been by far the greatest and most historic event which I have witnessed. His victory in the presidential elections was the “man on the moon” event for my generation.
3. The international financial crisis is by far the black swan which nobody expected to see. It’s impact, the duration of its unwelcome stay, and it’s consequence is impossible to predict. I do think that this one can be ridden out, but is it possible for billions of people to make the changes which can help us get over this catastrophe?

This year is also very important for me because, finally, I actually committed to blogging, and have made some good and interesting friends on this journey. I want to once again thank the 4000+ people who took time out to read what I have written over the last 7 months. Blogging has brought a sense of relaxation for me. It has also inspired me to think further outside the box, explore new ideas, and take part in discussons which were previously out of my realm. Every thought, view and opinion is some sort of motivation to write better and move up a level.

2008 has been an eventful year for me. I think, consistently throughout the year – be it at a personal level, progression in my career, or day to day life; I think it would be very fair to say that the year has dished out many life changing tests and the curve ball has been thrown at me very frequently. Quite how many I hit out of the park – well that is to be seen. I have grown as a person this year… I definitely sense a level of maturity within myself, and hope that I can take that somewhere.

I was thinking a few days ago… I havent really kept and worked on any resolutions over the last two or three years. I know that when I have a focus or something motivating me, I have had good, successful and fulfilling years. I think it’s time I thought about where I go next year…. A new direction, or dimension may be on the agenda…. only time will tell!

I know there are still 3 days to go in this year, but this will be my final post for 2008. I guess I want to spend the remainder of the year reflecting on where I want to go in 2009.

How has your year been?

*Alvida – goodbye in Hindi and Urdu. Elvide in Turkish (I think that is how it is spelt).

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