Being thankful.. showing appreciation...returning kindness....just being a decent human being
We may have had a lot of bad stuff happen to us. Might have experienced being cheated upon, trampled on, insulted, and such negative experiences. We also might have had several good things happen to us - a friend's shoulder to cry on, someone's financial help when you are stuck, a friend who introduced you to a potential job opening and such.
If I want to list my gratitude to all the people who helped me along the way, it will be a very long list. But here are some snippets of those number of people who extended their hand to me when I needed it......
I am grateful to my mother for giving me unshakeable resilience against all life's hardships and implicitly trusting me no matter my short comings and faults
I am eternally grateful to my spiritual Guru, Swami Dayananda, who held my hand through life's turmoils, who celebrated with me my successes and who taught me values and goals
I am grateful to my husband who supported me through my immigration travails, my career ups and down, my choice to chuck out lucrative consultancy gig and my decision to start teaching yoga as well as being my friend, my co-traveler, my foodie and my rock
I landed in this country with no money, no immigration status and no plan to stay. Then I decided graduate law school is the way to go. I am grateful to Prof. Bob Wade at Capital Law & Graduate Center for believing in me and granting me tuition waiver - I am grateful to Prof. Carole Butler for giving me co-op for my living expenses; these were the stepping stones for my future employment and prosperity
I am grateful to Deloitte for totally wanting me to be on their international team and filed for my green card from 3 States so I will get it quickly, which I did - this paved way for my becoming a citizen of my adopted country and enjoy the benefits of being so
I am grateful to my bosses throughout my 25 year employment for not making me feel "different" or discriminated, and for encouraging to keep my foreign accent
I am grateful for getting a second chance at life, when I walked out of World Trade Center on 9/11 with just smoke filled lungs and nothing else.
I am grateful to my friends who stood by me when I was down in dumps and also when I was flying high
I am ever so grateful to my two dogs (who are playing on the rainbow bridge now) to teach me what love actually is, and what it means to be patient
I am especially thankful for the alternative therapies I was exposed to, that keep me in good health and help me age gracefully - yoga, essential oils, garden therapy - I am extremely grateful to sister in law for forcing me to attend my first yoga teacher's training back when.
I am grateful to my yoga students who keep coming back to my classes month after month and year after year
I am grateful to my first landscape client, who handed over her brand new house and asked me to design her garden, even though that is my first - this launched my garden design business
So... there are so many things to be grateful for, many things that make our lives more enjoyable, bearable and exciting.
During this thanksgiving month, let's think of all those little and big things and be grateful for being who we are.
As a small expression of my gratitude I am teaching a free gratitude yoga class and you all can join in virtually by registering below.