2020. Gratitude.

While the year had so much riding on it and it failed to deliver in many ways, one can think of few successes & a lot to be indebted for. 

Life and health was retained, lived through and also scraped by for some people in the family. 

So, looking over the shoulder one has the following to be thankful for health and stable ground beneath the feet. The following are my reasons:

1. Survived 9 tropical storms and typhoons in the Philippines (wait there is more) in all of 2020.
2. Survived a massive volcanic eruption that blanketed Manila in Ash for over 3 days and 2 days of WFH in Feb (the absolute anxiety of the volcano staying on grade 3/5 and its past notorious history being unimaginable).
3. Survived 3 major quakes that are close to anything that can imagine as near certain death.
4. Survived COVID (so far) home quarantine, social distancing and the lack of high fives and hugs.
5. Survived a 7 hour sweeper flight of Air India taking me (after numerous calls and form filling with the Indian embassy in Ph) and 200 others home (60% discarded their PPE's and face shields barely an hr. into the flight) in July.
6. A family trip to Doha, Qatar in Dec-Jan 2020 started the year well and I guess kept the tanks loaded for all that was to come. Annual family vacations are a must.

Don't think anything can match this year for experiences lived and the survival mindset that pushed through.