A nomad.

That’s probably what I’d call myself if I was ever asked to describe my existence on this glorious planet Earth. Always in search of new pastures (not greener, mind you!), always looking for change, always on the move.

Frankly, this aspect of mine surprises me. Given that I am a skilled procrastinator and a lazy-bum par excellence, one would have possibly thought that I hate change of any kind. To be fair, I thought so too. But if you dig deeper into your own past, you’ll be amazed at how you manage to connect the dots and find patterns. Ones that were so evident that you’d probably kick yourself for not discovering them earlier. Ones that, lay the foundation, of you as a person.

And for me, that ‘defining’ factor has always been change. Quite ironic, I’d say, given that I have always fought change and leaving my comfort zone. But I guess life has a strange way of teaching you things. Even about yourself.

I’m given to understand that Siddhartha, of which Sidharth is a modern reincarnation, means ‘one who has accomplished a goal’. For years, perhaps even decades, I’ve been trying to figure out what it is that I am meant to achieve. I’ve always been slightly amused that my parents chose to name me Sidharth. In fact, many times, especially when filling out forms, I’ve quietly cursed them for the beautifully long name they’ve given me and wished I wasn’t constantly running out of space. ‘What’s in a name?’ I hear you ask. In fact, probably nothing. In effect, it is just an identifier. But sometimes, fate conspires with its mates in unexpected ways and it gives leads to a wonderful thing. Meaning to your life and sometimes, shows you why your name suits you well.

I think I was about 14 when I first left my parents’ house. Moved from away ‘home’, so to speak. It wasn’t by choice – not mine, anyway – but I believe it set in motion, the virtual wheels that seem to drive me to my destination every few years. Because, from that point on, I’ve been nomadic. And now, so is my family. Perhaps, that is my goal. To be a nomad.

So, with that, I bid adieu to you Bangalore. You’ve been kind. Even on the days, I haven’t quite returned the favour. You helped discover the writer in me, and I’ve had the good fortune of meeting some of the most amazing people ever through this phase of writing. And our paths may still cross in future.

You will also forever be known (to me mostly) as the birthplace of Daddy Journals, and will always be reminiscent of this sometimes trying, but also amazing stay-at-home to work-from-home-dad phase that helped me cross paths and share stories with some amazing mothers and fathers. And everyone else, regardless of whether we are still in touch or not, you all have played a role in my understanding of who I am as a person. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.

[clickToTweet tweet=”There is a saying in Buddhism that goes: “Home is here and now”. If I had to sum up my life in a quote, that would be it. ” quote=”There is a saying in Buddhism that goes: “Home is here and now”. If I had to sum up my life in a quote, that would be it. It doesn’t always have to be a fixed location. Home can be wherever we want it to be. Wherever we are, as long as we are happy, content and satisfied with our current reality. And my home is where truly my heart says it is.” theme=”style3″]

And for now, it’s back to a city that has always held a special place in my heart. A city, where I left a part of me, and now I’m back to figure it all out again.

So, it’s Hello London!

Until my nomadic feet start to itch again.

[I apologise for not being able to reach out to many of you before moving. Everything happened quickly, and it’s been a whirlwind few weeks. But yes, I promise to continue to write and blog. Wait, did I just hear a ’Sigh!’? You didn’t think I would stop writing, did you?]