I love you. 2021

I love you. 2020 Goodbye.
But I never can say goodbye to 2020. Here I will try to let you go...

Photo by Moritz Knöringer on Unsplash

Most people can't wait to say goodbye to each outgoing year and optimistically welcome the new incoming year. 

In my case I could not really let 2020 go out just like that. It seems so difficult to have to leave behind a year that has meant so much to me. It has etched no, carved out a huge piece of me, turned me inside out- like falling head over heels in love over a person of interest. 2020 was the lover who cut me deep, most times painful, then nursed and mended me and made me leave behind a huge chunk of unnecessary baggage like fibroids. In the process I have also become lighter. And happier. I have never had so many happy days in my life than I have in 2020.

2020 will probably go down in history as the Covid-19 year, even though it started in 2019. Hence the name.

It was ironic that the Covid lockdown that got me writing this blog again. And again on our second lockdown. I began to settle down to read and write yet again.

Although many events unfolded in 2020, I was fortunate enough to have clocked in many hours as a novice monk or a yogi practising meditation. Thankfully I am able to shut out the unnecessary chatter and clutter the news portals and channels had to disseminate. Especially in Malaysia, suspense, fear and intrigue surmounted with the political musical chairs that was playing out amidst the spread of the pandemic. Politics or otherwise I am not going to complain. I've got another chance to reset again.

If there is one exercise that I am proud of and silently use daily is Meditation. 

It is no wonder this blog of mine is peppered with meditation posts. I urge you to find them and read them if you're interested.

Meditation if nothing more, is simply a daily cleansing of the mind much like the daily cleansing of our  body of it's wastes and toxins. If we can take the time and trouble to bathe daily, there is no reason to not meditate to cleanse our minds. The junk we accumulate over the course of one hour not to mention one day from whatever information we consume under the guise of news, entertainment, amusement, education, meetings, messages and gossip is simply mind boggling. Don't you think we need to empty the trash?

As a matter of fact, I can say that meditation is the most important thing in my day. 

More important than eating, drinking, entertainment, reading, listening to music or exercising. 

It's simply this; if my mind is not expunged of the junk and remnants of the day how can I function at optimum levels? We will only be caught in the never ending cycle of reliving old thoughts and recycling old experiences. That would be sad. Criminal even. Because our soul and sole purpose is to fully live in the present moment devoid of any interferences of past or future. 

That has been my regiment in 2020 and in so practising, however painful it was, I stuck to it diligently. 

I am also reaping the gifts that came along with the power of meditation. I became more calm, focussed, less distressed at every thought that invaded my mind, grateful, observant, aware of my surroundings, appreciative of people and things around me. 

The gifts I received came literally in all shapes and sizes, colour or creed, friends and lovers. Best of all I have never been happier.

A quote I came across aptly describes the benefits of meditation in one sentence;

"Give an hour to meditation, get 23 back"

Thank you 2020 for the gifts and the pain. It gives me great comfort in knowing that the gifts you have given me throughout the year will stay with me and last a mighty long time. Long after the pain is gone.

Thank you. Namaste,

Now I am ready for 2021. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.