Gratitude Post for November 2022

“When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere” Emmanuel Dagher

The month of November began with a memory of my mother Rosemary for she breathed her last on first day of this month. In the Catholic Church calendar it’s a significant date and celebrated as All Saints Day. Even though she is no more amongst us – there is a void and emptiness no one can fill, she continues to live in my life and I keep her alive by embracing all her qualities in myself.

This day is followed by the All Souls Day which is celebrated in the memory of the dead members of the family and community. I am grateful for all those people who have touched my life in some way or the other contributing to my growth and progress.

I am happy that I am not alone on this earth but there have been a lot more of people connected to me – my grandparents, sister, my parents, my brother, my son and a lot more of my extended family members, teachers, nuns, priests and a whole lot of wonderful persons  who have been a positive influence in my life. I am grateful for each one of them and with thanksgiving in my heart I visited all the 3 different graveyards of the near and dear ones in our city. 

I am grateful to meet my classmate from my school, a few of my close friends and some of my relatives who had also come to visit the graveyard. I was excited to see my old neighbors in the church and it was such a happy moment to connect as they enquired about our family and updated me about their family.

I am grateful to meet my teacher after many years almost after 3 decades who taught me public administration in my degree college. She was so happy and took some time to recognize me but I am glad that I could see her and interact with her.

I am grateful for the opportunity I got to speak to students of class 10. There were 120 students from the X class and the topic given to be was Adolescence development and its Management. I enjoyed preparing the session and interacting with the students. They had plenty of questions and it was my pleasure to address all of them.  At the end of the session I felt happy that in a small way I could make a difference in their lives. I was very happy to do this session as my daughter studied here and now as the ex student of this school she accompanied me and met her teachers and the management enjoyed all the interactions and the whole experience of being in the school after 5 years.

This month I also had the opportunity to go back to my school where I studied for 10 years – and it was an honor for me to take a session, during the child rights week for the Xth class girls on Psychological Health and Wellness among the adolescence. The girls were quite articulate and for me it was an overwhelming experience as it brought memories of the self in the class room. Some of my memories that reminded me of the issues that I went through as an adolescent- growing up years were tough for me. I found difficult to deal with my physical, mental and psychological changes which affected my confidence levels, giving rise to low self concept.  Looking backyards and rewinding my memories and bringing it back now to the present filled my heart with joy and I could never ever imagine that one fine day I will be standing in my school and talking to our students.

I am also glad and grateful to accompany my daughter to visit her friend who lived almost 10 kms away from where we live and celebrate her birthday. It was a surprise for her and my daughter was hesitant to go that distance and I felt strongly from within that I must take that one step to go extra mile and reach out. So despite being a working day I made a choice to go with her and sing for her birthday. I am glad I could do it as my privilege and the family was so happy, we prayed and even had dinner with them.

This month I am also grateful for the invitation we got from the Engineering College to talk to the students on Psychological services available in the campus. There were around 250 students who had gathered for the induction programme and we were given the opportunity to not only talk about the services, but also address issues related to anger management and substance abuse.  

I am grateful for my daughter Dorothy who attended the National Convention of the YWCA India and she stood for the post of National Board member for the South East Region. I and David are very happy that she is now a National Board Member for the National YWCA for the next 4 years. We are proud of our daughter for her commitment to the choir, volunteers and gives herself in service and ensures that she completes every task she takes up.

I am grateful that this month too David was busy with the clinic at our local area and the patient seems to increase week after week. One Sunday the clinic was shut as one of the member’s daughter received first Holy Communion and David was busy helping them organize the event and I am glad that he was helping a family to celebrate their daughter’s function. Dorothy also helped in photography- she was there clicking pictures for the whole event. Some of the friends were also volunteered in various ways  to lighten their burden.

This month I am grateful to connect once again with my school friend at her daughter’s wedding, it was an opportunity to meet another classmate too. I am happy to meet my younger sister who came for the wedding wherein we could spend some time, enjoy the music and also have sumptuous meal together.

The weather is changing with winter setting in November was cold in the early hours and late evenings. I am grateful that despite the weather we have all the service providers regular and committed delivering the milk packets, news papers, groceries.

I am blessed to have a regular help for myself to manage household chores, so that I am able to spend time with myself, walking, stretching, meditating, praying and listening to inspiring messages.

I am grateful for everything in life – for being alive, for the good health of mind and body  for the basic necessities of life, for family that cares, the work that gives meaning to my life and many more blessings of everyday life and I am happy to journey with gratitude for everything yet to happen J constantly redefining and reinventing myself responding to everything life offers and becoming the best version of myself.

Thanks for reading this post – I hope and pray that this season of Advent be filled with love, joy, peace and hope! May every person reading this post be blessed and be happy !