Hello, dear reader! How have you been? Are you still settled on your couch under a quilt with your mug of hot chocolate and a healthy hangover of Christmas specials on Netflix?
Or are you raring to go right ahead into the new year with all affirmations and resolutions?
Either way, Happy New Year to you and yours!
Last year was not the easiest for my close friends and family. It was challenging to say the least like I’m sure it would have been for so many of you. For me, it will go down in my journal as one of the most eventful years in my life. It brought the love of my life to me in an unexpected and magical way, met so many of you online and in-person as the TaBa family grew in number, and for the big one - I moved to a city that I love, second only to Varanasi though! Safe to say that I stand at a new juncture in my life. A new bride in a new city, ready to welcome new beginnings in so many ways. :)
Mumbai, the city of dreams for many, will now be called my ‘home’, but my heart is yet in Banaras where I have been all these years. It isn’t easy leaving behind all those familiar smells, sights, sounds, and the feel of Banaras. For every small thing, my mind races back to what my folks must be doing back home or what I would be doing if I were in Benaras! I cannot make sudden plans to visit my weaver family or have an impromptu morning session with friends dedicated to the winter special Malaiyyo! I guess these feelings are inevitable. But hey, if you are a new bride in a different city, we’re in this together! Please DM me on Instagram to tell me how you are dealing with this strange surge of emotions!
All said and done, I am definitely excited as I embark on this new journey in a new city. This city that never sleeps has its own charm and pulse. What makes it even more incredible is that I get to share it with the person I love a lot. When you get married to someone so dear to your heart, it somehow makes up for all the changes and adjustments you have to welcome in your life. Support and respect were what I was looking for in a relationship and I could not have asked for a better partner to enable my dreams in my professional life! So grateful!
As I look forward to begin weaving my new story, I wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous New Year again! May the New Year bring in the best for you and your loved ones.
Till we meet again,
Artika Shah