We are in the last week of November and soon it will be December and the year end we always look forward to. Ever since we moved to Dubai, we would either travel out or go for a staycation. Year end would be family time. December 2019 we had travelled back to India to be with my inlaws and hence going again in such a short time did not make sense. So for the first time, we decided to do what people did in Dubai. We went for an evening gala dinner on 31st night to usher in the new year. Dubai has a spectacular display of fireworks at BurjKhalifa and had thus welcomed the year, watching the fireworks from the hotels lobby.
All the hotels which have BurjKhalifa in the view are sold out in advance. The downtown area is jam-packed. After the fireworks, there’s no way to go back, roads are jammed with traffic and its heard people sleep in the cars. Hence, we decided to wait till around 2:00am. Then we started searching for cabs. We couldn’t get booking for Uber or any other cab for next one hour. We spent time waiting in hotel lobby and finally reached home at 4:30. That was a beautiful evening. Yet, I do not want to bring in 2021 or any other year the same way. Who had known that 2020 would be the year of dreaded coronavirus. Even though the year was eventful in other ways, and I have had a good time after I stepped down from my hectic worklife, yet the devastating covid is something I and everyone else will wish had never happened.
People have always welcomed new year. It is a festival which binds whole world together. There are different traditions in different countries on how to bring in the new year. Yet, I will never ever celebrate another year in the way I welcomed 2020. This is human psychology behind superstitions i believe.
Our Indian culture is full of them. A black cat crossing your path when you have just stepped out of your house or someone sneezing when you are about to leave, twitching of your eye, breaking of glass, boiling of milk and what not. I have amways made fun of these things, yet when it comes to 2021 I want to ensure that I do not do anything which is a bad omen.
I just want to be cozy in my house and spend the evening with gratitude for being able to have this day at the other end of 2020 and for being able to help those I could as much as was possible during the pandemic, whether it was due to my professional capability or whether it was lending ear to whoever felt down or low during the year. Then I would switch off lights at my usual bed time and let 2020 sneak out silently.
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The Vagabond 
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