Happy New Year!

Here’s a list of my resolutions for the year 2022

Since this is my first column of 2022, allow me to wish all of you a very Happy New Year. I hope and pray that this year is better than the one that has gone by. That Omicron comes and goes like a bad dream, leaving us all immunized against the virus. And that this is the year when the Covid pandem finally ends, with Corona becom more or less dangerous than the So much for hopes and praye But the New Year is always ab resolutions, and here, in no part order of importance, are mine: • To give in to worthy impulses the urge to re-connect with a lon friend, to phone a family memb I haven’t spoken to in ages, to m contribution to a charitable cau to do so before the feeling passe of the pandemic is that we shou anything that can be done today who knows what tomorrow may • Build closer ties in my neighbo If the sundry Covid lockdowns ha us anything, it is that in times of c those around you who become yo structure. They are the ones who you fall ill, who provide you with you are stranded, who send acros piping hot biryani simply becaus share. This is the year when I will them my appreciation any which • Pare down my ‘friends’ list. Covid bubbles have willy nilly made us prioritise our ‘real’ friends over those we are merely friendly with. And after a couple of years of this, I am beginning to wonder if there is any point in expanding my social circle to pre-pandemic levels. It makes more sense to invest in a few meaningful friendships, rather than socialising with a larger group whom I don’t really care about.

• Get back in touch with nature. Ever since Corona entered our lives, vacations have been few and far between. And, for n

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watch. During the nothing quite as comforting the sofa in the evening, and another series on a streaming le-gum for the eyes, which g more of you than a willing lief. But I think it is now time me, and spend more evenings ood book, conjuring up new wer of the writer’s imagination. • Start work on my new book. With the sequel to Race Course Road, Madam Prime Minister, now out in the world, and in good bookstores all across the country, it is time to go back to the spy novel I was working on before I took a break to write my political thrillers. The plot is all fleshed out in my head. Now, it’s just a matter of getting it down on paper. Wish me luck! n i . . the most part, I have spent them in ci ies that are an easy driving dist e from Delhi. Now, I think it explore the great outdoors, a beachfront, a mountain dlife sanctuary. nguages. I signed up for early 20 years ago, and for ound 15 years ago. Since otten much of the grammar I did manage to keep my nch and Italian going by ese countries and forcing e local language rather than een nearly three years since ance or Italy and I fear that I guage skills I once possessed. g to watch lots of French and d try and get familiar with —in the hope that I will travel

Spectator fans, listen up! Seema Goswami’s new book Madam Prime Minister is now on stands.

The views expressed by the columnist are personal

COVID BUBBLES HAVE WILLY-NILLY MADE US PRIORITISE OUR ‘REAL’ FRIENDS OVER THOSE WE ARE MERELY FRIENDLY WITH. IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO INVEST IN A FEW MEANINGFUL FRIENDSHIPS

LESSONS LEARNT The lesson of the pandemic is that we should not put off anything that can be done today