Gratitude Post for October 2022

“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind” –Lionel Hampton

Today is first day of the month –31 days have gone into eternity, 305 days have gone and 60 days left for another bright brand New Year. I am happy to write this post to relive some beautiful moments which are now memories. So here goes my gratitude list: 

Grateful for the time spent with my friends – day out with them 40 kms away from the city and a quiet place where we could play in the pool, roll on the green grass, walk on the beautiful lawns and enjoy a sumptuous lunch, high tea and came home refreshed and relaxed.

Grateful to find a quiet place to sit and pray- glad to visit a nearby church in the morning hours, and spend some time just being and doing nothing, thankful for the company my relative who came with me and we could spend time in the church, it’s a great feeling to sit quiet in a empty prayer room.

Grateful that my leg has healed and I am able to walk around and also started using my bike. I was taking auto every day as my leg was painful and there was so much discomfort when I walked. I am glad to be back walking around at home, work place, church and also complete all the tasks.

Grateful that I am healthy and in good health, for I developed pain in my shoulders and with little stretches, exercise, massage, vitamins and drinking plenty of fluids I am fine, thankful for all the support and help I get and I am grateful for everything.

This month there was Candle light ceremony at the #YWCAof secunderabad and it was nice that all of us met for a physical meeting. It’s the day the new board is installed and they make a commitment to serve. I am grateful that Maria Dorothy has now become the Vice President for YWCA of Secunderabad. It’s a proud moment for me as I see my daughter taking up responsible position and learning so much.

I am also grateful that Maria Dorothy had got her results for the Common University Entrance test (CUET) and she has applied for the Post Graduation program. I am grateful for her journey in continuing education and happy that she is choosing her path.

I am grateful that this month was a birthday of a great friend- Sr Joshina, a nun from the Sisters of Charity congregation. I was glad to visit her along with Dorothy and spend some time praying for her, cutting the cake and joining her for lunch. I have known her for the last 30 years, and she was always supportive and encouraged me in my academics.

I am grateful that I and David have completed 22 years of our married life –I am grateful to God for this long journey and we have witnessed everything in life – joys, sorrows, fun, and plenty of blessings. We felt happy to visit the church and David made his friend make some special prawn biryani. I am grateful for Dorothy for her thoughtfulness as she ordered a cake for us and surprised us – it’s a blessing to have a daughter who is sensitive, kind and generous. I am also glad for all those who called me and prayed for me – thankful to sunny and his mom and of course my near and dear ones who sent their wishes to me.

I am grateful that this month we celebrated the birthday of Dr Patel who serves the community clinic in our area every Sunday. He has been associated with us for quite some time now and lot of people come to him for treatment. It was thoughtful of David to affirm and appreciate him on his birthday by honoring him with shawl and speaking kind words about him and also cut the cake in the clinic.

This month I am happy and grateful that my niece Nissi Marilyn got engaged to Jayakar and it was a great day for her. All the family members attended the event and blessed her; we missed our brother Vincent Dass who passed away few years ago with heart attack which was sudden. I am glad that she is getting married soon and it was opportunity to meet the family members and also surprisingly met my school mate – as she was related Jayakar.

I am grateful that I could watch a couple of movies in telugu and it was lots of fun; glad that my daughter gets me to watch these movies as it’s a great break for me to shift from some serious work to  laughing out loud.  Thankful for Dorothy who keeps me updated about the latest trends and  movies.

I love these shoe flowers and its a pleasure to see them bloom in our balcony. This month there were plenty and I saw one day there were 3 flowers on a single branch smiling away. I immediately captured in my cell for I felt happy just looking at it bloom so beautifully.

I am glad that this month I could meet my guide for completing my PhD work – I am grateful for all the editing he has done and gave back my draft. I continued to work on all the suggestions given and complete the final draft and submit. I am grateful for being surrounded by everyone who is motivating and inspiring me to complete my PhD. Especially my friends who are encouraging and also praying for me.

This month I lost a dear friend who developed a clot in the brain and she was hospitalized. She was treated for the last five months and every time there was some complication or the other. The family was devastated as she was holding the fort at home as well as in their factory.  It was a great loss and she left behind a son and a daughter, both are young. This was a sad experience and it was shocking news, as they prepared her to bring home and converted one room into an ICU and suddenly just before the discharge she collapsed and died. Death is reality and none of us can escape – every time some one dies- it’s a reminder for us that life here is not permanent and we constantly need to self introspect to ensure that we improve the quality of our lives.

Today is All Saints Day as per the Catholic tradition; it’s a day we go to church to celebrate this day; believing that we too are in the process of becoming saint.Its also death anniversary of my mom, she passed away on November 1^st 2003. I am grateful for the gift of her and glad to have some beautiful memories of her in my life.

I was busy at my work place and there were quite of lot of referrals in the month of October and I also had youngsters who were suicidal and injuring themselves., then there were relationship issues and I was occupied everyday with physical sessions and also some times telecounseling.  

I am grateful for all the service providers and appreciate them for their thoughtfulness, we had the person who supplies milk brought sweets for Diwali, and the shop where we buy our monthly provision, sent us a sweet box for Diwali.

I am thankful for good neighbors and living in our area it’s like we are celebrating the festival; grateful for our neighbors for sending us the diwali sweets. It’s a pleasure to write this post as I end up reliving once again all these moments, that keeps me cheerful and happy.

Thank you for reading my post J I would love to hear from you,

Happy Diwali ! May you shine like bright lightens and Let the Divine light dispel all forms of darkness and lighten up your lives:)

Be Blessed & Be Happy!