Thanksgiving is a day to recognize the sacrifices and blessings of the past year.. and it is celebrated with family friends good food bonhomie and good cheer! Most people in India don't celebrate Thanksgiving on a particular day.. but everyone who says grace before a meal.. offers the cooked food at the altar before consuming the meal.. or even just says a silent "thank you" to the farmers who grew it.. the person who prepared it.. the person paying for it.. or just a simple acknowledgement to the Almighty is celebrating Thanksgiving!
This year Thanksgiving is especially important to me simply because it falls on the fateful date of 26/11.. Most of you know that I was sitting INSIDE Cafe Leopold when the terrorists opened fire and ran for my life! God was kind and I was luckier than many others who fell victim to the barrage of enemy bullets.. an absolutely tragic night and couple of days that jolted us all bigtime! It's been 13 years now and I still like to stay indoors and safe at home on this particular evening.. unless I am travelling..
There have been so many sacrifices and casualties in the past year.. thanks to Covid.. work from home.. companies paring down on staff.. businesses that went under.. families losing their breadwinners.. doctors losing patients.. and yet.. I take my hat off and salute the medical frontline workers who went above and way beyond the call of duty to cure patients.. emergency helpline counselors who saved lives.. garbage and sanitation personnel who did their jobs well to keep us safe and healthy.. people who gave food.. clothes.. money.. time.. a listening ear.. a caring heart.. and did whatever they could to ease the burden of the multitudes who were suffering.. God bless them all.. for they are the blessings!
Today.. I am grateful for so much.. a healthy body that functions well and lets me do whatever I need to.. friends who have become family.. a comfortable home (two actually).. wise people who guide me well.. sincere and caring staff.. a reasonably kind heart and enough to be able to reach out to people in need and help them when required! I am thankful for this beautiful "second life" that has been bestowed upon me.. am thankful to be alive.. and trying to be the best version of me that I possibly can!
A number of people have told me and asked me at the same time (with the best intentions in the world) "Why do you give so much? Why do you go out of the way and do so much? Why do you always want to make the other person happy etc.. etc..?" Today I finally have the answer to those kind of questions.. a plain and honest from the heart answer.. because I CAN.. and that's all there is to it.. Giving caring and doing are what make me happiest.. today and always!!
The way I see it.. life isn't easy for anyone.. and somewhere.. we are all struggling.. and if we are ever in the happy position of being able to give something - be it a smile.. money.. a hug.. moral support.. food or anything else.. let's just do it! The opportunity may not come our way anytime soon again! And if we are in the even happier position of being able to DO something for others - be it family friends colleagues or those less fortunate.. let's just DO it! A warm fuzzy feeling inside is guaranteed for sure!
Most importantly.. let's practice active gratitude towards the Almighty.. the Universe.. our friends families and everyone we meet.. and make every single day special.. and make every single day our very own version of Thanksgiving!!
A heartfelt THANK YOU to each and every one of you for reading my blog.. although I may not ever tell you in so many words.. but.. it means the world to me!!
