We don’t celebrate the dawn of a new year any differently than another day, because every day is the dawn of a new year and every dawn needs to be celebrated. We watched the classic movie “Casablanca” last night and the song “As time goes by” sums up life in some ways –
“As Time Goes By”
You must remember this
A kiss is still a kiss
A sigh is still (just) a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes byAnd when two lovers woo
They still say: I love you
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes byMoonlight and love songs – never out of date
Hearts full of passion – jealousy and hate
Woman needs man – and man must have his mate
That no one can denyIt’s still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by
A kiss is still a kiss
A sigh is still (just) a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes byAnd when two lovers woo
They still say: I love you
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes byMoonlight and love songs – never out of date
Hearts full of passion – jealousy and hate
Woman needs man – and man must have his mate
That no one can denyIt’s still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by
…………… As time goes by wounds heal, new people, new thoughts and new places come by and all that matters in the end is you do what feels right in your heart. Rick letting Ilsa go with Victor was the right thing to do and makes him a hero.
The things that went right in 2016 were many … ShikshaDaan getting the 12AA registration and two corporate sponsors, Krishnan and I getting certified as coaches, buying the amazing “used” Volvo, Dinky getting married, meeting Siru and Revanth unexpectedly at Allepey, meeting Nair after nearly 20 years, re-discovering Cooptex and getting to know “handlooms”, the handloom weavers, meeting Latif at Thekkady, the awesome trip to Laos, the surgical strikes on Pakistan and of course ending the year with demonetisation.
2016 changed some lives forever ….. for Vandana and Ria, life without Alam will never be the same. I have nothing to offer as solace except a warm hug and just being around. Two years in a row, dear friends have lost someone irreplaceable. 2015 took Taaha from Javed and 2016 took Alam from Vandana. Yes, the cold logic of life is understood – we are a minute closer to death from the instant we are born but accepting it and moving on is a different thing altogether. Vandana and Javed, may you have the strength to go on, because thats what the rules of life are …. and may Alam and Taaha live through you.
2016 also saw many more people leaving the Earth … Vijaya Mami (Dr. Vijaya Venkat), KRS, Sethu Madhavan, Nanu, Dr. Balamurali Krishna, Jayalalitha, Cho, Prince, George Michael. They all touched a chord and influenced Krishnan and my life in a special way, so their loss is felt. Every loss is a harsh lesson in the school of life and every life that is lost teaches you to value your time more.
As 2016 goes by, rewriting the verses of the song above –
“It’s still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world always welcomes heroes
As time goes by
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world always welcomes heroes
As time goes by
Every day heals,
Every day renews hope,
Life’s events unfolding, reveals
Life plans to help you cope,
As time goes by
Its time to write a new story
Accept love and glory
Doing good till you die
The world needs a new positive high
As time goes by…”
Happy New Year.