Things to say, people to mention, thanks to be given

The year draws to a close. This has been a year of discovery, happiness and some pain, too. This was the first time, I was able to see the sun disappear into the horizon on the West Coast. I dropped to my knees and ran my hands in the warm waters of the Pacific. I was able to go home in summer. I got to meet my niece for the first time. She was just over a year old. I was able to congratulate my cousin after his wedding. I was also able to attend the wedding of yet another cousin. Another kid who will grow up and (probably) call me 'uncle' smiled at me. It was somewhat surreal. It was also wonderful. We sat down together, old friends, at Shreya's our favourite old bar and got hilariously sloshed. It was one bloke's graduation party: he had just defended his thesis. It was also celebrating another bloke's wedding. My sister and I saw the Colosseum, and walked through the Forum Romanum. We had dinner with a new friend near the Fontana Trevi, and walked up the Spanish Steps at dusk. I discovered that espresso and pizza mean something totally else at Rome. Also, that given sufficient motivation, I can crack a Samsonite suitcase's lock. We toured a Cold War era former Soviet diesel sub, moored at Hamburg. I spoke at Notre Dame, TIFR, IISc and western Michigan about my work. There have been reconciliations. Two people, I never thought I would ever speak with again, are again, paradoxically, friends. Have I made any new friends? I think that I have. Do they compensate for the one sleazy bastard, I will not name here, who has engaged in backstabbing? I would like to think so. There has been illness in the family. Difficult times. But we are coping, or at least, trying the best we can. But there is much that is good to look forward to. There is much to thank the Gods for. I am grateful for all that has come to me, and my family.