Normally, we avoid going to stores on Black Friday like the plague. Wherever we go, we are assured to encounter crankiness and impatience, which in turn makes me cranky and impatient. This morning we were pleasantly surprised with an unusual experience. We dropped Ram for scouts volunteering and reluctantly headed to Costco to check out the Thanksgiving sale to replace my laptop, which is at its end of life.  We were 15 mins early and were the second in line.  Fast forward an hour, we were out with a new laptop and earbud and some groceries. Such a relief…! 

Speaking of groceries, it tickles me that our local Costco has made our trips to Indian stores totally unnecessary. There is no dearth of Indian groceries at Costco – basmati rice, sona masoori, toor dhal, urad dhal, cumin powder, turmeric powder, dahi, paneer, naan,  roti, pani poori, pav, and even rasmalai.  

Thankful for not having an unpleasant retail experience today. Such a silly thing to be thankful for but it set the tone for rest of the day.

“You can lose yourself one small compromise at a time.

You can transform yourself one small win at a time.” – James Clear

Writer and professor Joseph Campbell on loving your fate:

“Nietzsche was the one who did the job for me. At a certain moment in his life, the idea came to him of what he called “the love of your fate.”

Whatever your fate is, whatever the hell happens, you say, “This is what I need.” It may look like a wreck, but go at it as though it were an opportunity, a challenge. If you bring love to that moment — not discouragement — you will find the strength is there. Any disaster you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege!

Then, when looking back at your life, you will see that the moments which seemed to be great failures followed by wreckage were the incidents that shaped the life you have now. The crisis throws you back, and when you are required to exhibit strength, it comes.”

• I am thankful that today was spent in glorious nothingness. I connected with friends, I listened to Elizabeth Gilbert’s Letters from Love, and I decluttered. 
• I am thankful that I participated in detox workshops a few years back. Going back to healthy cooking feels like cycling after a break. It’s all coming back. 
• I am thankful that my childhood friend is back home. It truly is good to have a close friend closeby. 
• I am thankful that although we miss our Thanksgiving tradition of meeting with our friends, we are able to go with the flow of life. 
• I am thankful for podcasts, substack, writers, and teachers. They show me a way when I have lost mine. 
• I am thankful that I am loved and I have people that I love. 
• I am thankful for being at the receiving end of grace, compassion and kindness.

Gratitude for the long weekend.  For the opportunity to rest and rejuvenate.

Dinner done, Ram and Hari are cozying up in the daybed. I am seated by their feet. The three of us are watching Monk. It’s the episode that Ram has been patiently waiting to see since summer. Sharon and Natalie in the same episode vying for Monk’s attention. Da makes his appearance every now and then. Watching Monk, just enough to know what’s going on and then retreats to the living room to watch Anime on his iPad. He gets his family time and “me” time all at once…!!! Quite the multi tasking, isn’t it?

This moment, this very mundane moment, fills my heart with gratitude. And I wouldn’t mind having endless mundane moments like this.

The family has been working non-stop.  I am thankful that this week is slowing down. 

It’s that time of the year. To go door to door selling wreaths to fundraise for scouts. Ram has been doing it for three years and he knows the drill.  While I am not a big fan of this scout activity, it has its finer moments. Like the neighbour who not only supports the troop with the purchase but also thanks Ram for beautifying the neighbourhood. Or another person, a total stranger otherwise, shares his scouting journey with Ram. I like to go along with him to observe him interact with others. I love how he goes prepared and makes a sales pitch. I love how he takes it in stride when folks decline to purchase. Neither does he judge nor does it deter him from knocking next door. I love how he makes tiny connections with the people in the community.

Gratitude for the experience and for some life lessons coming out of it. 

Spent day catching with good old friends. Grateful for friends who will accept you as you are..

I am celebrating a cherished milestone today – 20 years of being a mom.  That I am lucky enough to be a mom of two sunny boys takes my breath away and fills every pore in my being with gratitude. 

The bird that flew from the nest is scaling new heights. He is working hard, building his tribe, and finding his place in the world. And we couldn’t be prouder. We are proud of his willingness to put himself out there and lift others up as he progresses. Proud of his relentless pursuits and his eagerness to make his mark. For not taking his privilege for granted. For being a darling son and a doting brother. 

Hari, may you be safe and protected. May you be happy and healthy. May you be loved and cared for. May you be kind to yourself and others. May you be at ease. We miss you but so cherish the moments we connect. We will be your cheerleader and coach, forever and always. Know that we are here for you, always! You do you child.  Can’t wait for you to come my jingchack.

Every Monday and Thursday, the UMASS Center for Mindfulness offers online mindfulness meditation sessions. I do my best to schedule my routine around these sessions. I am grateful for the excellent teachers, the supportive community and the opportunity to be able to practise in a group setting from the comfort of my home. If you are interested in meditation and want to do it in a community setting, do give this a try. People from all over the world tend to join. 

This fall, I also took the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program through UMASS. Another program I can’t recommend highly enough. The class meets once a week but you have to commit to practise at home. I will be eternally grateful for this experience. If you are interested in learning more about what this entails or my personal experience, please leave a comment and I will reach out to you.