Goodbye, 2008!

2008 has been a good year. It's been a special, memorable year.

You saw me reach my third decade and enter my fourth. In some ways, turning 30 feels a lot like starting life afresh, all over again. I'm a mere infant again, leaving behind everything I thought I knew to discover a whole different world.

In a few more days, I'll be 1 year old.

Now, I can say I know what it is like to fly over 30 hours and end up somewhere else, all alone and eking out a graduate degree - staying into the wee hours of the morning typing out pages and pages of academia all the while aching so much for home and hearth.

You saw me through the hours thanking God for technology and allowing this little family to stay connected with Skype. And getting to know new friends, some of whom, though godless, made me want to pray earnestly for them and for their happiness.

In the second half, you witnessed a happy reunion, and me embarking on life as fulltime mommy in yet a different country, figuring out how to stock the pantry and filling up tummies instead of stocking up on good research and filling up the gaps in my own knowledge.

You've taught me how to rejoice, seeing my husband truly working hard in something he believes in and excelling at it. For the first time, I sense a deep contentment and peace, even when it meant that he had to stay up late in his study working till 4 in the morning.

The hours passed seeing little D at playgroup, at swimming lessons, and climbing up and down playground equipment have taught me that he's quickly growing into a boy and that I can't baby him for much longer. And even though the screaming and tantrums are truly terrible, making me wish I could really slap some sense and good behavior into him, I've learnt that reacting violently always makes me regret later.

So now, it's time to say goodbye, and look forward to getting through another year.

Of new endeavors, pursuits, and always, invariably, the regrets over words exchanged, or circumstances mismanaged.

May the lessons you've brought me stay, and help me not count the days ahead but make each one count.