March 2022 Gratitude

“Gratitude is the powerful catalyst for happiness; it’s the spark that lights the fire of joy in your soul” Amy Collette

One my favorite exercise every month is to write a gratitude post; I am glad to do it today as for the past two months I have delayed to write and post. I am glad that we have entered the 4^th month of the year; 92 days have gone out of 365 days of 2022. 

Picture credit: Dr Prakash

With the existing global crisis of COVID variants and added to it, is the Russian invasion of  Ukraine was a tragedy, which all of us witnessed – with technology we have seen the news and on whatsapp how people were fleeing for their lives, so many students stranded, families leaving the country to become migrants of the nearby countries. It was a tragic sight and disturbing to see how dead bodies were rolled into for burial. These realities of life speak of how none of us are safe and we are all so vulnerable and anything can happen to us.

Our lives are unpredictable; all those who were with us in the last year are no longer alive today.  Hence I feel it becomes extremely important to receive Every day as a gift from above, to live each day with gratitude; mindful of the value it holds fulfilling our purpose in life, being mindful that today may be the last day of my life; so I learn to live life to the fullest doing everything to my utmost capacity for there is a meaning and a reason for my life.

So here goes my gratitude list:

Grateful that we as a family are in good health and busy with our respective lives; David is busy with sorting out everything after retirement, and also busy with his group. Dorothy is busy with assessments, submission of her record work, and viva, she was worried and anxious about how she will manage, but she has done well so I am happy and grateful that all went on well, they had a farewell party in college, she went out with friends and had a great time.

I have been attending work regularly and busy with offline sessions with students. This month there were more than 20 – 25 students visiting our centre for counseling – which kept me busy. This month a lot of clients were referred by the psychiatrist. Most of the issues were fears and anxiety and few were relationship issues, with severe suicidal ideations.

I am glad that they had taken help from our centre and grateful for all those people who refer them to the centre.  This is positive as more and more persons are beginning to understand the importance of mental health. I pray and hope that one day there will be no stigma and discrimination and mental health will be treated like the physical health.

I am grateful that a bridge which was under construction at my place is opened and it has now become convenient for me to take a proper road to reach my workplace, also this has saved so much of travel time, which otherwise would take more than half an hour with traffic it would be further delayed. The new bridge opening is a blessing to all those who reside in our area to be able to get a proper road and not wait endlessly for the trains to pass by.  Now we have the trains passing from above while the bridge is open for us from below.

I am grateful that I am blessed with helpers around me whether at home and even at office, who are there to help and accomplish all that is planned to achieve, be it cooking and maintenance of the house or even completing reports and updating records of everything that happens in the centre, there is also person to take care of admin and finance work. Which makes it easy to focus only on counseling and coordination. I am lucky at home as David and Dorothy manage quite well when I leave a few tasks undone at home, they complete and independently handle everything which gives me the space to be available and go that extra mile either to help a student or even attend important meetings.

I am grateful that I have progressed academically –completed my first draft of my thesis, which was a huge task. I need to affirm and congratulate myself for having accomplished this task with so much of ups and downs; I feel grateful for all those who have motivated me, encouraged and inspired me assuring their love and support. I remember my parents with gratitude for laying the foundation by sending me to school and ensuring that I complete my schooling and graduation. Especially my mother who was extremely supportive of me and always was proud of whatever I did in my life.

This month was Nathan Jay Emmanuel’s birthday – my nephew’s son and I am glad that I and Dorothy could visit in advance, pray and wish him for his birthday. There was also a good old friend’s birthday so all of the other friends together went out to celebrate her birthday, with good food and just taking a break amidst the week. We took time after our work to be together and celebrate and also catch up with one another. I am grateful for these small outings and meetings breaking the routine and refreshing us to move on in our daily routine.  

This month I and Dorothy along with her friend took a break and went to the parlour for a pedicure, hair cut and clean up of face and neck; as there was too much tan. It was a refreshing experiences just to keep one’s feet in the warm water and get the pedicure done. I always feel grateful for this act as I think that my legs have been supportive for so many years, carried me everywhere and never troubled me.

I am grateful for the body that loves me unconditionally no matter how I  treat it sometimes feeding junk and unhealthy stuff,  at times working late night depriving sleep, and still sometimes consume less water because I am moving around – despite of all this it still remains helpful. I am learning now to treat my body well and ensure that I integrate vegetables and fruits and keep to the timings, avoid late night work and to give the body rest it requires... I have even bought few books to read more and understand how body functions. I find Rujuta Diwakar books very helpful as I find her practical and sensible with the advice that she gives to maintain good health. 

I am grateful and glad that I could reconnect with some of my friends from my old parish church. After marriage I have not gone to that church and its 22 years now, never ever spend time with them – with marriage, kids, academics and career… I lost out of so many of old friends, but I was glad to at least reconnect on phone and it was such a nice feeling to keep myself updated about them and also talk about my own life. .

I am also grateful for being connected with tree lovers; who regularly post on parul’s blog every second and fourth Thursday and it’s my pleasure to see so many beautiful trees being posted.

On the whole this month kept me busy, happy and healthy. How was the month of March? I would love to hear your thoughts….

I Pray for Peace and Harmony in ourselves and in the world, specially pray for Ukraine.

May all of us be Happy & Blessed!