We ushered in New Year 2014 in prayer -- psalms we used to say as part of our morning prayer time, and of course Sirach. Then we arose and wished each other a Happy New Year as the clock inched past midnight. It was strange to listen to dad read the 'Prayer for the Old Year' and the 'Prayer for the New Year' on the same night, just hours apart. Yes the old year was a friend while he was there. Now? Well.
All the late nights since Christmas eve can really take their toll once New Year rolls along. Strangely, carols played at New Year just don't sound the same. After an English breakfast which wound up at 12, lunch out was at 3.30 p.m. We are wondering now whether to go for the 'Seafarer's Nite' or not. But baba sleeps on blissfully. And how can one wake him up from those angelic dreams?
Today I begin the 7th year of blog writing. It all began in 2008 when I was so overwhelmed by a performance of the legend of Meerabai I simply had to write it down. Posting has served me well. It has honed my writing skills and the satisfaction of publishing my thoughts on line is very fulfilling. It has made me more transparent as a person. As a poet and artist I hope it documents my journey in some small way. A large number of the posts last year have been published works in my weekly feature in the Gomantak Times, Weekender, Goa.
Increasingly I see the blog as a valuable freely accessible online library of my writings. Occasionally I post an article written prior to 2008 like the book review on Kali Ganga which was written in 2003. It is also a helpful resource which I can refer my students to.
The 4th string of my classical guitar (Yamaha C40) broke during a performance at the Christmas day family lunch. We made a foray into Furtado's Margao at Reliance Trade Centre on 30th December and came away with the precious string. That was a long day. We visited friends in Aquem and rolled home only at 1 a.m. Dinner was at Leonara's, Nuvem -- our first time there. Thankfully it closes at 12 midnight. The chicken xacuti was delicious. I hope the efforts in installing the string will spur my practices on the guitar. Playing just a few bars of 'Malaguena' sends me into raptures. I managed to do it yesterday without looking at the book. Hope I can memorize a few 'performance' pieces this year.
Numbers 6: 22-26, the reading for today is so uplifting (above): 'The Lord bless you and keep you . . .' Today we will be doing the daily reflection on these words, the blessing for the New Year, with the aid of the reading cues from an internet site -- It's so difficult to get a Bible diary 2014 in English! The only ones floating around are in Konkani. For the readings of the day I like the pleasing format of the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (see www.usccb.org). They renew one's faith and purpose in life.
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