Well, friends, it is nearly February, and the new year is upon us. We spent the holidays in the north Georgia mountains with Indu’s family, playing Scrabble and scoping out mountain views. The lower latitude and winter solstice invited even the late sleepers in our group catch sunrise a few times, and looking back, we recognize the power that comes from multiple generations of family waking up to each other in a beautiful place. The trip sent us back to Boston feeling nourished and loved.
Indeed, we had much to be grateful for in this past year. We enjoyed many Saturday afternoons this fall watching Sajan play soccer, along with other parents who cheered from the sidelines as much for our child as they did their own, and with coaches who truly inspired us. I don’t think there was a game or practice when we didn’t feel moved by the care and passion of the adults on the field with Sajan. Watching a community of families come together in service of kids gave us a new and hopeful vantage point from which to observe youth sports, that’s for sure.
Sushil and I celebrated our 10th anniversary at Acadia National Park this past July. It felt so special to reflect on our first decade together in a place that has played an important part in our journey. At the same time, the trip also felt like a kind of grand finale—not that we won’t return, but that there are other places to explore and new adventures to share, both with each other and with family. As Sajan has pointed out, we haven’t yet put our passports to use since he was born, and it does seem like geography and far-flung travel may be a fundamental part of who he is. Below is a snapshot of what we sometimes see when we check the weather!
We hosted many a dinner, saw fireflies in June, picked apples in fall, and enjoyed our backyard this summer. In true form, Sushil grilled pizzas and chicken shawarma, channeling his food gurus and Hindi-speaking YouTube influencers. He and Sajan have been playing squash this winter, and he continues to cultivate in Sajan a good ear for jazz. We’ve listened to Jon Batiste’s new album on repeat ever since it came out. I did a deep dive on journaling this year, likely as a creative outlet combined with my latest iteration of trying to live more intentionally 🙂 I’ve been reading deeply on psychology of attention, both in terms of my work in schools and in navigating what it means to raise a child in this particular moment of time.
We hope that our paths will cross in new and familiar ways this year, and that we all finds ways to take care of ourselves and those around us.
With love,
Indu, Sushil and Sajan