Dear 2016,

You are almost over, thankfully. This was the best year but also the most horrible year. I started the year with cautious excitement, with thoughts of moving. Within a couple of weeks, my grandfather was admitted to the hospital. And David Bowie left us. That sucked. But thoughts of moving were starting to form,  that was pretty cool.

About a month after being in the hospital my grandfather passed, which sucked. But during the same week I met baby Amaliah, which rocked. Fast forward a couple of months and my move was tangible and I was on my way to Mexico to celebrate my cousin’s wedding! All exciting things; but Prince left us, and that made me and many others sad.

I came back from Mexico to not just one job offer but three–that rocked! I took the scarier path because I knew in my heart I would be happier. That choice has had a lot of bumps but it also rocked. Then Brexit happened, which was followed by hate across England and Europe and that was just heart breaking. But I met baby Omar, and that was nice.

Then you took Professor Snape once more (Alan Rickman), even Mohammed Ali, Gene Wilder, Gwen Ifill, Carrie Fisher, and so many more. And that blows. You even took my always smiling aunt, and that was a shattering blow. She was amazing, I was looking forward to seeing again in 2017. There was that election, which I have no words for. But it pushed me to get involved. And that rocks!

I would say “hell with you 2016”, for all the crap. But then I think about the time that I spent with my niece Aalia, my family, my friends, the work I was able to accomplish, and I say “2016 you weren’t so bad” as I roll my eyes.

There isn’t much else I want from you, well except…can you please just cool it for the next couple of days?

Love, Bharti