Another year gone by so fast and so much to be grateful for. Even in the midst of all the chaos and insanity that’s unfolding in the world and maybe in our personal lives, we can find the blessings if we really look.
Day 1
My heart is so full today. Got to celebrate Diwali with my mom this year after nearly 4 years. We made sweets together, cooked, and had a lovely time. She also got to experience some Halloween fun with the neighbors. Thank you God for the gift of family and festivities.
Day 2
Reiki never ceases to amaze me and I’m so grateful that I can share this gift with others. Thank you, if you have trusted me with your healing journey. Thank you, if you learned healing with me (I learn so much from my students). The miracles and learning continue. Here’s to helping more folks in the coming year!
Day 3
Thankful for my job and wonderful coworkers. I remember putting tech writer on my vision board years ago when I was unemployed and thought I would never get back to working in my field. But I was so wrong! Thanks to everyone who believed in me and gave me opportunities to grow and excel. Right now my title at work is tech writer and I work for one of the Big Tech companies. Who would have thunk! To everyone who has an impossible dream here’s my 2 cents…never stop dreaming. God will find a way! S/he always does.
Day 4
It’s going to be 3 years since I lost my Papa but it feels like 30. There are days when I feel like I can’t go on in this world without him and then days when I feel his love and guidance coming through full throttle. Thank you for taking care of your little girl from the other side, Papa. Thank you for being the best Papa in the world. I love you always and forever. Your Mol.
Day 5
Election day in the US. Though I can’t vote, I want to take a moment to pray for the country that has been my home for over two decades. Thank you for the opportunities, for the friendships, for the myriad experiences I’ve had here. America is truly a beautiful country and its people have hearts of gold. I’ve learned so much from living here and my prayer is that this country and its people continue to shine and prosper.
Day 6
After 2 years, I was finally able to create and upload my audiobook for Thank you, Dadima. Thank you Dr. Devadoss for the inspiration. Thank you Lavanya for giving me the idea. Thank you Anjali for introducing me to Taekmin. Thank you Taekmin for helping me record the book and for your flawless audio mixing and production. Thank you Hema for being the first person to listen to it and give me feedback. So many people made this possible and I’m thankful to the Divine for bringing these people into my life. If you haven’t downloaded my audiobook yet, check out the link in the comments.
Day 7
In life, you get to choose your friends but not your family and having kids is a gamble. Extremely grateful and proud of my daughter. She has been a pillar of support to me and pushed me past my comfort zone. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. I love you always and forever and wish you every success and happiness that life has to offer. Keep shining and spreading your light around the world! I’ll keep cheering you on.
Day 8
Thankful for my boy who is slowly but surely making a name for himself in Robotics. He recently represented his university at a Robotics conference. Was a joy to see him present his work. I don’t get to see him very often because he’s busy with his 101 projects. But I’m so proud of him and thank God everyday for him. Keep flying high, my boy. Wishing you success and so much happiness always. Love you!
Day 9
Thankful for God, a genuine Guru, and an unshakeable faith in the Divine. I would have given up a long time ago if I didn’t have my faith. Bonus this year is finding Ranjani who runs a monthly meet up where we read, meditate, sing devotional songs, and share our experiences with other devotees of Ramana Maharishi. She has helped me in my hour of need without me ever asking and to me that’s the Divine working through her to take care of me. Blessed am I. Here’s wishing that whatever you are going through and wherever you are, may the hand of the Divine touch you, guide you, and comfort you. You are never alone! God bless all of you who are reading this.
Day 10
Thankful for my wonderful neighbors who are like family to us. Abhishek and Anusha have their hands full with twin babies and their 6-year old daughter but still make time for us and will go out of their way to help us. God bless you all always. You are a blessing to us.
Day 11
This post is for a friend that I made in a Reiki class I took 3 years ago. We started Reiki shares that ended up being 2 to 3 hours of sharing everything about our lives. We realized we had so much in common even though we came from completely different backgrounds. The kind of bond we share was carefully woven over several lifetimes. In the past few years she has been there for me in ways that no one has…at a very deeply spiritual and soul level. She traveled all the way to India to meet me and mom, we took a trip to Mount Shasta together last year and in a week she’ll be here in NC with me. Can’t wait! I love you so much dear Kristen. May all your hearts desires be fulfilled. May you be abundantly blessed and may we always find each other in subsequent lifetimes! Love you and can’t wait to see the magic that will unfold next week.
Day 12
Today’s gratitude post is for the Big G who I got introduced to through a common friend (Thank you Selvi) just a year ago. But she has been such a good friend through a really tough year. Thank you for all the gifts and most of all for your time, the long chats about crazy stuff we can’t share with anyone else. Cherish you my friend. May your dreams come true. God bless you and your beautiful and talented girls. And of course your prodigal son Coco.
Day 13
Today’s post is for my Reema. Where do I start? From supporting me as a fledgling writer to checking on me everyday when I was going through several rough patches. Our friendship started online and blossomed over the years. We’ve met a couple of times and she has always blown me away with her love and generosity. Thank you Reema for spoiling me with gifts, for your invaluable time and love. And for Mellow who gets his own gratitude post. But most of all thank you for being there for me and always wishing me the best in life. Love you! May all the love and care you show others comes back to you multiplied.
Day 14
My dear cousin/sister, Monisha. I remember the day we met for the first time. We were in 6th grade and you had just moved from Bombay to Chennai. We hit it off immediately and we spent several weekends together, had sleepovers, reading marathons, made up silly jokes, and played endless games. We drifted apart after I moved to the US but I’m so so thankful to God that we could reconnect after all these years. You’re a blessing in my life. Thank you for your support, love, and generosity through the years. Loved spending time with you, aunty, sweet Gary, and Anju in June. Here’s to many more road trips together and fun meetings. Love you girl! God bless you all.
Day 15
Thankful for my friend Venkat and his lovely family for hosting us last month. Mom had a blast with his parents and wife’s mom. Thank you for your prayers and for checking on me regularly. So glad that we reconnected after decades thanks to my dad. Wishing you and your family all the goodness life has to offer. Just don’t make me watch Yogi Babu movies.
Day 16
My dear dear Namami…our friendship has spanned decades. Bus rides and walks back home from work, trips to Pondy and your visit to Chennai for Dad’s 70th birthday. Daily phone calls when I was living in Chennai. Your love, your prayers, your unwavering belief in my gifts and talents. So so grateful for you my friend nay soul sister. Wishing you bountiful gifts from the heavens and God’s love and protection always. Stay well and stay blessed.
Day 17
This post is for Mellow ji, Mellow Cheta. A Reiki Master who can hold his own, enjoys Jagjit Singh’s gazals, and is my friend Reema’s baby boy. Thank you Mellow for the purrs, bleps, and all the funny moments in between. And for the unconditional love that only our four pawed friends are capable of. Until we meet again…muahs from chechi.
Day 19
Thankful for my cousin Rashmi who moved to Chennai and has been staying with my mom for a little over a year now. Having her there with my mom has eased my anxiety. Thank you for taking care of Amma and being there for her when I couldn’t. God bless you always.
Day 20
Today’s post is for my dear Hema. Words fail to express all that you’ve done for me over the years. Just talking to you uplifts my mood and gives me so much confidence. You are pure magic and I’m so blessed to call you my friend. Here’s wishing you, your girls, and Raman so much happiness, love, and success. Love you lots and can’t wait to see you next year and go on our trip together.
Day 21
Today and every day I’m thankful for my Shoms. We may not talk regularly but she’s always there praying and checking in on me when I most need it. Wish we lived closer and could meet more often. Thank you Shoms for being my buddy from the cradle and beyond. Thank you for being Anjali and Nitin’s cool aunt. Love you and wish you all the love, happiness, and abundance in the world. God bless you, Jef, and your family.
Day 22
Grateful for my two brothers Rohit and Dinesh who have been MIA for most of the year. Love you both and hope we can spend time together soon. Have fun in India Rohit! Sorry I couldn’t make it this time. Dini see you next year! Your doting chechi.
Day 23
Thankful for the beauty of nature and for incredible sunsets, fall colors, beaches, flowers, animals.
Day 24
So grateful for food on my table, family and friends to share it with, and loved ones who cook and share delicious food. Today we had Croatian crepes with crunchy pistachio butter, strawberries, and whipped cream. I’m in dessert heaven! Thank you dear Kristen. I’m going to miss you. Muahs and bear hugs until next time!
Day 25
Today’s post is for my aunts who have been there for me throughout my life. When they get together with my mom and me, it’s always a blast. Nonstop chatter, joking, laughing till our stomachs hurt, and enjoying food cooked by each of them. What a gift it is to have them in my life! Wishing them happiness, good health, and good times with their favorite niece. Love you all so much.
Day 26
Thankful for a warm home, warm clothes, food and people that warm my heart and soul. Blessed!
Day 27
I’m thankful for good health especially on a day like today when I feel run down. Health is more than your physical health. It’s also your emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Neglecting one can negatively influence the others since it’s all connected. Here’s to everyone’s health and happiness.
Day 28
Thankful for old friends and new, traveling to unknown destinations and the magic that unfolds, for so many new experiences this year, some scary and some pleasant but ultimately rewarding. Thankful for the blessings that are coming my way. Wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving and hope you have more and more things to be thankful for.
Day 29
Thankful for my Dadima. She demanded a separate post. The book kept coming up in conversations this week and I had already mentioned the audiobook in an earlier post. Thank you for your grit and determination, for your generosity, for being a beautiful soul inside and out. People say I look like you and that makes me proud. Hope someday they’ll say I loved and lived like you… fearless, unapologetic, and larger than life. That would make me prouder. Thank you Dadima for continuing to inspire me and others. I feel like you’re still around guiding me and your great grandchildren. I’m sure they’ve made you proud. Love you always and forever.
Day 30
Thank you God for the pets in my life. Some close and some far. Some living and some that have crossed the rainbow bridge. Max, Kulfi, Sparky, Lucky, Diana, Priya, and Gary who’s my cousin’s baby. Thank you for your unconditional love and for taking on our pain and lightening our load.
Thank you for reading my posts every day. Wishing you a lovely December filled with blessings and love.
Punctuate Life 