This month began with a sad news, that one of YWCA member, my prayer partner, and a good old friend Seema Victor passed away due to prolonged sickness – she suffered from lung cancer and later on developed other complications in her health. She was committed and disciplined, taught zoology until retirement and served as a President of YWCA Secunderabad for a couple of terms and was an active board member. This was a disturbing news to me – as death always reminds us of impermanence of our lives, thinking of death has always kept me grounded and true to myself.
Grief and Gratitude can coexist; one can be sad and happy.
I visited her family, and saw how peacefully she was laid down – memories of her association with me were flooding my mind. I prayed for sometime and left thinking of her in my mind, looked at the albums where we had been together and how strong she was in her faith, and one day she told me pray for my healing and she added don’t forget death can be a healing too… those words, and her smiling face turned my grief into gratitude. I thanked the Lord for Life and Death comes from above – she did her best in staying true to her calling. Grateful for these moments that shifts my perspectives and challenge me to become better version of myself.
This month we had the Training of Trainers programme in collaboration with Governor’s office, Telangana state. It was on 1-3 March2026 –first batch. TOT “Rebuilding Lives Beyond Addiction” This programme was two parts, one is the training of trainers and the next one is implementing this learning in our communities through the NGOs. The second batch was in the next following week. I was glad to be part of this programme as it provides me opportunity for learning.
This training kept me busy not just for three days, but for a whole week, as there was a second batch of participants from different NGOs. I am grateful for this learning, interacting with participants and involving myself in various ways in understanding lives beyond addiction. This was a successful training and it ended with the valedictory function with our Governors’ visit to our sessions and motivating us and sharing his experience of working in the north east and how important it is to work on substance abuse, which is now becoming a serious concern among our young people.
I am glad this month we had a women’s day celebration at the Young Women Christian Association of Secunderabad – and I was invited to speak to our members on the theme for this year – GIVE to GAIN. I took this opportunity with gratitude and prepared a short motivational talk, which also gave me insights into looking into my life as to what I have given in my life and what did I gain. The session was appreciated and I was happy for all the compliments I received in person and also on what s app stating that this session was very inspiring. Grateful to be appreciated and validated for the work I do.
A strong woman stands for herself; A stronger women stands for others
I had scheduled to talk to the Self-Help Group women, but then it started clashing with our valedictory function at my work place, so on priority I chose my workplace. But requested my friend Dr Beulah who is a Rehabilitation Psychologist, to do this session. I am grateful as she agreed to step into my place and take the session for these women. It’s a blessing to have people who are willing to help us in this kind of a situation. I felt relieved and grateful for the timely help.
I am also grateful for one my college friend’s birthday which was actually on the 28th February, and she was for the first time in our city during her birthday week. All of us friends celebrated her and had a great time, meeting, chatting, relishing delicious buffet and we all shared our feelings about what we think about her – each of us as to how we connected and what we liked about her… it was surely a happy moment as she was getting emotional and shared her feelings of gratitude with all of us. we came home inspired, and feeling uplifted in our spirits.
On my way home I saw some plants in the heart of the city – made me feel happy just looking at the way they were adding beauty, with wide roads, heavy traffic, and metro s full crowds moving around, these plants and few more trees nearby were stood elegant and green, which was pleasant for the eye and made me smile.
I was glad to visit the Parsi sale that was happening in the city – with music, food and sales. The YWCA of Secunderabad had a stall. Members were encouraged to visit the stall., we visited the stall, took some pictures, met a lot of parsi ladies, and also danced a little for fun and came back home with gratitude for a happy day.
This month few of my school friends felt that its been a long time since we have met – there was so much happening in our lives, one of my friends two daughters delivered in a gap of a week, both of them were girl babies – which brought joy to the families but also stress for my friend as she had to handle two babies one in the city and another one in Bangalore – she was too tied up and wanted to come out of the house, so three of us decided to meet her and we met for an evening cup of tea and some light snacks. We wanted to spend an hour or so but ended up staying for a longer duration. This was a sudden plan and it was a surprise but we were grateful that we could take some time out for ourselves😊
Empower the women and empower the world
This month we had two holidays and it was just what we needed – me and Dorothy as both of us working full time in institutions, it was a relaxing – the one was the Telugu new year Ugadi and another one was Ramzan. Both the days we chilled at home and relaxed as we were not in a hurry to attend to our respective works. I am grateful we could go out one of these days for dinner as it’s been a long time we went out together.
We had a International Seminar for women’s day where women across were invited for three full days at the campus, paper presentation s were done, and women of excellence awards were given to 30 women who excelled in their fields – it was a great programme we had women scientists, nutritionist, politicians, representatives - human rights commission, entrepreneurs, and a proud moment for us at Sahayam as my Director In charge Prof. C Beena was also invited and awarded as one of the person who excelled in bringing about social change especially in the prisons as well as a Professor in Psychology for 30 plus years in the campus and focusing on Cognitive Psychology. I was happy to be there by her side and take the award.
This month was also a birthday month- one of our friends – she wanted us to meet over for dinner as it was a week day and some of us working would have a problem for lunch. So, we were glad to meet for dinner. I was happy as the month ends, we could gather again with friends to celebrated life and love, there is a kind of bonding with friends which gives us immense pleasure and feeling that we are not meant to be walking alone in our lives, but walking together makes us feel the journey less stressful and more meaningful.
I am glad that it was Lenten season and feel proud that both Dorothy and David were fasting and avoiding non vegetarian food. I respect their choice and ensured that I did not get any meat for this whole month.
I am grateful for this whole month – I worked without taking leave, managed two batches of training, documented the trainings and also had almost every alternate days students visiting me and a couple of tele counseling – where one person was grieving due to the loss of the mother, and another was a person going for chemotherapy.
I am grateful for my neighbor who sent me the mulberry fruits from her tree – which was delicious and I do appreciate her thoughtfulness for sending it across the wall😊Its been ages since I have seen this tree and also the fruits, this truly was a pleasant surprise for me.
This Ramzan we had neighbors sending us Semiya with dry fruits, a sweet dish, as they celebrated their festival, they shared what they had and I am grateful for people’s thoughtfulness.
On Ugadi – I had my neighbor sent me some very good wheat chapati’s made with ghee and jaggery. It was hot and tasty, glad that we are blessed with good neighbors around who are kind and we live in harmony and mutual respect.
I have been riding safely to work, David has been dropping Dorothy everyday to college, we had the regular supply of milk, provisions and I am grateful to Anuja (my youngest sister-in-law) who is a blessing to me as she takes care of the kitchen. The tailor lady who stiches and delivers the blouses at my home, the aunty upstairs who accompanies me to church every Sunday, books the auto so we can go together, also sends us special snacks whenever she makes it .. I count all of these as my blessings in life, as they empower me to focus on my work and ensures that I am healthy and happy too.
The little things in my life are the biggest
I am grateful for people who love and appreciate me, validate my contributions both at home and workplace – friends with whom I can just step out for a cup of coffee and vent out my own problems, my nun sister’s friend who keep praying for me and our family every day.
I am grateful for my bike – that takes me everywhere, this month I gave it for servicing and also changed the batteries and it’s a blessing for me, as I am able to do so much independently save a lot of my time.
This month I felt like pampering my feet – as it has carried me for life and still supports me, visited my favorite beauty parlor to get a pedicure and facial done. I love the girls who work there, they not only work hard, but their hands are magical and it feels good, grateful for them and the service they offer.
I am filled with awe and gratitude for everything in my life – I thank God almighty for His Love, Grace, Mercy and Compassion, for without Divine help I can do nothing.
Hope you had a great month.
Be Blessed & Be Happy!
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