Spectator by Seema Goswami: This is just the beginning
A new year is a chance for new adventures. Take up a sport, delve into a cuisine, learn a language. Just try it all
If the end of a year is when you are meant to pause and take stock of your life then the start of a new year should be about new beginnings, right? It is in that spirit that I have decided that 2025 will be the year when I will begin to do things that I have so far found rather intimidating. I will probably fail at some, succeed at others, but I feel that it is the trying that truly matters.
So here, in no particular order of importance are some of the things on my 2025 to-do list.
Learning to cook Japanese food. I have loved Japanese food ever since I first tried it in Bangkok some three decades ago. But even though I have tried my hand at various world cuisines (Italian, Spanish, Thai, Burmese, Vietnamese) with varying degrees of success, somehow I have always been a bit scared of cooking Japanese food. I am still a bit intimidated by the thought of handling raw fish (that’s what comes of being reared as a vegetarian) but I am determined to give some Japanese dishes a go this year. I may start with some pork katsu and ramen and then take it from there.
Signing up for Sanskrit lessons. I have always been vaguely ashamed of the fact that I am the first generation in my family who does not speak, read, write or understand Sanskrit. My father, grandfather and several generations before were well versed in this language. But all I can boast of is knowing a few mantras by heart, whose meanings have been drilled into me from childhood. But beyond that, my knowledge of Sanskrit is zilch. Well, this year — fingers crossed — that is going to change.
Going for a trekking holiday. I’ll be honest; I have always found mountains to be rather intimidating. I regard all those who think nothing of trekking up heights with a certain degree of awe tinged with a hint of envy — because honestly I don’t think my fitness levels are up to it (not to mention that my asthma gets triggered at high altitudes). But for years I have felt that I am missing out on something so this year I am going to summon up my courage and book a trekking holiday. And with luck, this will not be a hill I die on!
Finally cracking the swimming thing. I have tried to learn swimming many times before. I gave it a go as a child but it didn’t quite take. As an adult I had a friend try to teach me — but it was in vain. When I moved to Delhi, a cousin took pity on me and gave me lessons which were slightly more successful — as in I learnt to float rather than swim. But after waddling in the shallow end of swimming pools around the world, I think it’s time to take the plunge and sign up for lessons with a proper professional in the hope that I may make it to the deep end, after all.
From HT Brunch, January 04, 2025
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