The Last Chapter of 2024 ✨
The Monthly Muse: It's like flipping through a scrapbook of moments - some that made me laugh, others that made me grow, but all of them shaping a year I’ll carry in my heart forever.
Can you believe it’s already December? Feels like just yesterday when I was witnessing the magic of Coldplay in Singapore, singing “Lights Will Guide You Home” with 60,004 other voices - yeah, Chris Martin actually gave that count (60,000 audience plus 4 band members!)!!
But that was back in January!
If life were a book, 2024 would be filled with some beautiful, soul-stirring chapters. Scrolling through my Google Photos before sitting down to write this, I was smiling from ear to ear.
Every month had its own stories and tons of good memories.
After the concert in January, February was all about enjoying the blues in Goa with my childhood best friend.
March had me wandering through the golden sands of Jaisalmer, where I was hosted at a stunning heritage property.
In May, I was celebrating Pishi’s birthday in Khao Lak, Thailand, with my cousins, eating some delicious seafood by the pristine beaches.
I headed to Vietnam for a workation in June with Sourav, and in August, I traveled back to Thailand with my pen-friend - this time to Chiang Mai, and that’s when the whole lost luggage fiasco happened!
October was all about co-hosting a trip to South Korea, where I explored a new country with a group of strangers.
And then, in November, I traveled back to Sri Lanka for the third time and made it to Dondra - which is known to be the last point of the island, and they say that if you sail down south from here, you’ll end up in Antarctica!
Looking back, it all seems quite adventurous and hunky-dory, right?
But life’s not just the memories that Google Photos brings back! There’s always more behind the scenes. The moments that I didn’t care to document. The ones where anxiety crept in quietly. Sleepless nights. Body aches. The days when procrastination won, and all I wanted to do was curl up and hibernate. I’ve had moments of questioning everything - my choices and my decisions - and wondered if it all made any sense.
We all do it, don’t we? The parts we don’t talk about.
Yet, here we are, standing at the edge of 2024. Stronger. Wiser. Maybe even a little gentler with ourselves.
As we close this chapter, let’s take a moment to reflect. Think of the good, the not-so-good, and everything in between.
Give yourself some credit, and pat on your back - you made it. We made it. Through it all.
Finally got around to watching All We Imagine As Light after hearing so much about it—and it definitely lived up to the hype! It’s a beautifully crafted story about three women navigating friendship in the bustling chaos of Mumbai. What really stood out was how the city, despite all its vibrance, often felt like the loneliest place for those living there. In case it’s running at a theatre near you, go watch it.
In the spirit of the season, I’ve also been bingeing on Christmas movies on Netflix. They’re perfect for a cozy, feel-good evening—more like a “one-time happy watch.” If you’re in the mood for some festive vibes, here are a few I’ve recently seen: Last Christmas, Noel’s Diary, Meet Me Next Christmas, and The Snow Sister.
I’m also reading ‘The Top Five Regrets of the Dying’ by Bronnie Ware. It’s based on her experiences in palliative care, where she listened to people in their final days reflect on what they wished they’d done differently. It’s been a thought-provoking read, especially about how we keep pushing things off for tomorrow when really, the best gift we can give ourselves is living fully today. If you wish to read something mindful, I would recommend this book.
And before I forget, I’m all set to start my travel podcast with a dear friend (and we’ve already released the trailer on Spotify!) - I’d love it if you could listen and subscribe to our channel - Bon(g) Voyage!
And now that I have to wrap up, I hope we can make the most of the last chapter of 2024, living each day to the fullest, soaking in the winter sun, having some plum cake and mulled wine, singing some happy songs, and holding on to the good times.
Sending you virtual hugs!
See you in 2025!
P.S. If you enjoyed reading this, I’d be thrilled if you shared it with others—it would mean the world to me. And if you ever feel like you’d rather not receive this newsletter, just let me know, and I’ll remove you from the mailing list—no questions asked.
