The year that was and the year to be

I have been wanting to write to you for the last 2 months. I was so incredibly busy doing nothing that I just could not make it.


Just like 2007 year end post this has to be a review of 2008, the year that went by.
For most part 2008 was the way I had expected. Unbridled optimism and Zest for life ruled the mood. There was a lot of travel that was to happen. In the 2nd week of Jan I went to Shanghai and witnessed the first snow fall. After wrapping up the last semester in Hong Kong I was to fly to London to study at LBS! The four months was nothing short of being spectacular. I truly witnessed what world class elite education was all about. I had also started feeling like a global citizen by then not bound by any boundaries. Then I was to fly back to Hong Kong and the anxiety of job hunting was looming large. Had a fair share of regret letters, rejections etc. Later a bank job in Vietnam with an incredible pay was the highlight of the 2nd part of the year. I came back to India in August and felt like a winner. Surely lady luck was giggling at me. Flew back to Vietnam in September and joined the rat race. Fared very well at work and was in line for a possible promotion in flat 4 months of joining the firm. Flew back to Hong Kong for the MBA graduation. Seemed like the culmination of all the good things that the world owed me. Nov 25th sitting in the Giant Asia Expo hall with the graduation dress, I remember vividly smiling at my mom who was sitting in the gallery and thinking "I have friggin arrived in life". 26th Nov at about 10 AM I get a call from my boss. "The project has been canned". This is 9 th march 2009 and I am still smarting from that call. After 26th November, it was all about figuring out how deep the damage was. I am still counting my losses.

But I think 2008 was a phenomenally roller coaster year for me. It has been very fulfilling and valuable. Most of it was how I had foreseen. I would remember 2008 as an year of travel, globe trotting and learning. More importanly it was a year that fullfilled my long standing dreams of doing an MBA, Studying in LBS and showing Hong Kong to my Parents.

As for year 2009, I am feeling very defeated and gloomy today to make any sensible forecast. However this has to be an year of recovery. Things can only get better from this point. Its been 2 months and I am still counting my losses. Have not made any break through on the job front.

My mood is altering between panicking, sulking and feeling sorry for myself. All efforts to recover have failed so far and there seems to be hardly any hope in the immediate days to come. Mother is keeping poor heatlh and Invariably I feel like the cause. Dad is trying his best not show his impatience.

By Jove I think that last time I was put in this mess was in 1999. This is a decade since then. The only possible alternative is to wait out and be patient.

This too shall pass

Love
Arun

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