December 2023 Gratitude

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder “Chesterton

I just bid goodbye to 2023 sitting in my parish church for a thanksgiving service at midnight, followed by the Mass.  I sat down for worship for there were so many things coming to my mind, 12 months and 365 days of the year 2023 has gone. So much has happened in my life; without the grace of God.

 I wouldn’t have accomplished anything at all. I congratulate myself for being consistent with my Gratitude post for 12 months and I hope to continue to do so as it’s a great therapy for me to keep me grounded and happy.

Last December 2022 I was nervous as there was so much fears and insecurities in terms of my Career, PhD - my daughter’s academic and her career – David’s retired life. Now when I look at 2023 my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude for everything worked so perfectly well despite the challenges. I am blessed more than I could ever imagine, so I am not making a list for December but will include all those moments that stand out and giving me hope that nothing is impossible to achieve if we set our hearts and mind on it  when I think how far I have come in my life.

Here goes my gratitude list:

I attended the convocation to take my original document, this month just before my birthday, it was like a gift given to me.  I am grateful for my family and friends who always encouraged and motivated me… which adds to my strength and gives me immense joy. The process began in 2018 and continued till 2022 with my Pre PhD presentation that started in January 2022. I am glad for all the feedback I got and those made me push to improvise further and finally got me to the last part of the process of coming to the finals with Vica Voce and finally submit my thesis, which was approved, awarded and certified.

My visit to the Holy Land which was a dream of my life to move around Egypt, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Palestine and Jordan. I was almost giving up waiting for the perfect moment, when suddenly accepting the imperfect pushed me forward and there I was moving around in these countries enjoying the food, the people and at the same time learning so much.  I am grateful for this opportunity and my daughter was a great company. I was happy with the travel agency that ensured we had a comfortable stay and followed the itinerary as per their commitment. I am grateful for this first international tour of my life that added a lot joy and confidence.   

There was another unplanned  travel visit  to Delhi wherein I accompanied my daughter Dorothy as she was attending the National board  meeting, and we took that opportunity to visit the most beautiful wonder of the world the Taj Mahal elegant shining surrounded by the greenery on the bank of river Yamuna.  I am grateful for these surprises, which just came my way and I cherish these memories.

 

I am grateful for my career that took a new turn as I thought of a shift in my mind but there was a sudden change in  my designation. There were collaborations and newness in the work place that kept me busy, active, there were too many students to handle at the same there also physical sessions, wherein I visited the colleges and took the sessions based on the topic given to me. I was also called as the chief guest in a couple of colleges and I am happy to interact with the students and help them resolve a lot of issues.

I am grateful for the opportunity to continue education and I   registered for a Two year PG course in Philosophy, this is purely out of personal interest as the Greek & Indian  philosophy always fascinated me as a child and I am grateful I completed my first year and now enjoying the second year syllabus. I am grateful for the classmates I found most of them seniors and established professionals who were doing this course with me; it was good as it motivated me to do all the assignments and also kept me very busy.

Too much time in reading the subjects affected my sight and my number increased so I had to visit the doctor and get my new reading glasses which was a blessing in disguise as I had not gone for the eye check up so this made me shift my focus to take care of my overall health, not just my eyes but motivated me to go for a overall physical check up. I am glad that I could take care of both mind and body to stay healthy.

I am grateful for all the opportunities I got to interact with a variety of students, not just those who are studying degree – but from high school, to intermediate, degree and Post graduates. I had even taught 3 subjects in psychology to the prison inmates who were continuing their education, some of the sessions were online for degree students not just in psychology but also in sociology. I was also part of the Grievance committee at the work place wherein we address the grievances, record and help in resolving issues among both the staff and the students.   These are small joys and surprises of my life as it just happened.

The year 2023 was simply awesome and there is so much to be thankful for; I enjoyed meeting my schoolmates, college mates, celebrated birthdays, weddings, retirements kept meeting all of them on regular basis, enjoyed good food, some of them were from outstation – and the long distance calls made me happy and connected despite the distance.

I am grateful that I could keep a balance handling so many things in life – taking charge of the house hold chores ensuring that kitchen is maintained and we are provided with healthy food on time, the place is well kept and there’s a regular help to keep to the routine so that all of us are able to take care of our own health and even support each other.

David had a reunion and he too travelled and was with his friends from the army, he continued to remain busy after retirement by facilitating the Sunday clinic for the community. He had problem with legs but thankfully sorted and he is fine now.

Dorothy was busy with her academics completed her first year PG in Psychology, this year she will complete  the course; she is also working in a start up and is a National Board member for the South East Region YWCA,(Young Women Christian Association). She was busy with the Parish choir wherein she sings for the 10a.m mass along with children, she takes initiatives in leading the choir and ensures that there is regular practice to sing for the Sunday mass; thankfully she has managed her academics independently and she even helps whenever I needed help. December was busy for her as she went carol singing in the parish and was actively involved in the Pre Christmas celebrations in our community.  I am grateful for my family and for all the support they give for me to do what I want to do in my life; and it’s a blessing.

I am grateful for my health, I kept a  check on my thyroid, lipid profile,HBa1c and fasting blood sugar. I found that my sugar level has increased probably because of too much stress, so I consciously worked on my diet to bring it under control – I visited the doctor and I am grateful that everything is fine now.

2023 is a year that I can never forget with so much accomplishment and at the end of the year I could also present myself  a new bike as my other bike is already getting old and overused –so I planned and got a new one for smooth riding. There is a lot more I am thankful for… and I continue my journey with gratitude not forgetting all those people who are supportive and keep my life going – help at home, service providers who pick up the garbage, the milk vendor who regularly supplies so we can enjoy a hot cup of tea everyday of our lives, the medical shop, the  grocery stores that provides monthly provisions and so many more people, when I start counting I realize how much dependent me and my family are and I am filled with gratitude for everything in my life.

I have very little to complain and blame in life,  my work gives me meaning and fulfillment and constantly amazes me as I keep meeting students for counseling and listen to their stories of failures, let downs, coping styles, struggles, traumas and wounds, my heart goes out to them and I admire their strength, resilience and confidence they display in wanting to work on themselves, initiate small changes and heal themselves.

These experiences bring out my own wounds too and makes me to work on my own self of letting go, forgiving both myself and others, make peace with the past  allowing  me to be compassionate and kind to myself. I am grateful for this whole process of redefining myself of who I am by constantly introspecting, renewing and motivating myself moving towards better version of myself.

The year 2023 also faced so much of violence, Wars that continues even now, political instability in certain parts of the globe, leadership crisis and suicides, accidents, murders and earthquakes – despite all of this there were some positive happenings in the world, organizations working for peace, environment, new inventions, advancement in technology, changes in leadership in certain parts of the globe.  There are so many influencers on the Instagram spreading laughter, joy, inspiration and motivations, and listening to the Ted talks both nationally and internationally I was inspired there are also some good things happening in this world.

I also watched some good movies both in the theatres as well as on Net flicks – glad that there was some entertainment in my life, visits to the YWCA of Secunderabad whenever possible to be involved in some activities wherein I could share my skills of sharing my knowledge and skills. Some of the sessions with women, students and staff kept me happy and connected to the community.  

The month of December remains special not just because its Christmas but also its my birthday and I am grateful for my parents who loved me, raised me up, sent me to school to ensure that I complete my degree. They stood by me and laid the foundation for trusting in God and Believing in myself and constantly affirmed me, my heart is filled with gratitude as I celebrate myself with my own family members and friends who are great encouragement. The month of December ended with so much of contentment that I am glad to step into 2024.

There is a lot more to share But I do not want my post to be too long – thank you for reading my post and I hope you had a great December and 2023 was good.

Wishing all of you a very happy and meaningful 2024 – I pray for Peace and harmony for all of us in this world.

May you Be Happy and Blessed!