Collage

Start of a new year like any other date based milestone that we celebrate is a curiously eccentric human thing. On closer, sober scrutiny they tend to seem like artificial constructs without any real significance on the journey but they give us occasions to be happy, wish people and reflect, which are all extremely legitimate & critical reasons  to perpetuate the practice.

The only dampener on that logic is that, ideally, if being happy and connecting with friends & people and reflecting on our lives are so very important, we should be doing these all day, every day.

But hey, we are busy.

So take advantage of these artificial constructs, we shall.

I think doing so also lends itself well for that reflecting piece. A new year seems like a good time to take stock - emotionally & psychologically.

Memories have a way of coming up as these random discrete images. It's as if, subconsciously, our brains have decided to precipitate an experience, a continuous linked set of events or an emotional feeling that has grown over time into one or few vivid images; Pinnacles that soar above the cloud of our consciousness to stand out from all the earthy rocky moments of our existence; Snapshots of life that we have subconsciously hash-tagged as worthy of remembrance.

As its wont, memories catch us unawares. When we are about to drift off lying in bed. When we are standing in a crowded metro. When we are walking alone on a chilly evening. When we are dreaming.

If we let that moment sustain, it sometimes feels surreal. It's like how the images fuzz out when we squint our eyes and let the borders dissolve. A kaleidoscope of memories.

2015 has given me a fair share. So a new year seems as good a  moment as any to build the collage of our being as a measure of what the last time period has been. A palette of memories - Joyous, melodious, sorrowful, angry, peaceful, exhilarating, humbling, shameful, prideful memories. Images that are colorful and bright. And images that are grey and dull.

And when this happened to me today morning, I realized I had mostly heartwarming images swirling in my head. Yes, there were sad ones. But such is a human life. And besides, when we really go meta on it, the black & grey pixels are essential for a painting that is meant to be rich and colorful and vibrant to actually be rich and colorful and vibrant.

And while there are many counter views, I believe memories are our only anchor. Memories are what made and is making us, us. Memories are our identity. And when all is said and done, when all superficial trappings of our life have been lost or rendered meaningless, memories are our only possession.

So I wish you and myself, as the new year begins, that we make good memories in the coming year.

To let the images collect in our lives' albums, knowing that some are bound to be black and hoping to have the wisdom to acknowledge that they are enriching the collage.

Here's to a colorful new year.