At Abu Dhabi Airport

 Here I'm at the Airport Lounge waiting for my flight to take me back home. There are are so many songs just around this feeling and they are all playing in my head now.

From Doughtry to John Denver... 

My Credit Card has some privilages that hitherto I was unaware of. For example, I'm eligible for availing Airport Lounge Services free of charge six times a year. Here I am at the fag end of the year. But then , its nice... the food sumptious and wine heady...

Its been a vacation long in waiting whose time has come... I busted the last one due to some project concerns and almost lost this for the same reasons. 

Its been an eventful year gone by. 

It began with the promise of a new job and life. Then the bank offer came up and changed my life completely. I never thought I'd ever move out of Mumbai again. With a decent house, all the amenities and a good circle of friends I thought I'm good, till Abu Dhabi happened. It actually was an outcome of something I had initiated back in March-13. My family life was on the rocks and I wished I could escape it through a job outside Mumbai so that it won't look too freaky. Most of that year went like that... We barely tolerated each other. She had drifted away. I saw her moving away. I had little energy left to steer or confront which looked facile... We discussed the Abu Dhabi offer and decided I should take it. 

The biggest casualty was my daughter. I knew I'd miss her and I did. When my family visited me in May, they left a few of their clothes behind. I'd open the closet and stare at her frocks and her T shirts. I'd smell them. They always smelled of the detergent though. I should have known. She missed me too. I was surprised. She is not someone who expresses her hurt or feelings much. But this time she decided to let her disapproval known. 

Over time, and my frequent visits, some of the distances were bridged. I have my wife and God to thank that she came around. Its been like this. I put her in tough spot, she makes a huge sacrifice to make it good, she expects me to reciprocate or at least step up. And despite my best intentions I don't measure up. This time again she has decided to let go her career and join me in Abu Dhabi. Its a big sacrifice. I kept pushing back, not sure if I can step up to it but she was resolute. I think I've mentioned in my previous blogs somewhere, I need the bar lowered or I'm sure I'll fail yet again.

Hope things will be different this time. I'm looking forward to this trip. Looking forward to 2015 and hoping I can build on what began in 2014...