It All Begins with Gratitude

Is it strange or opportune that I am writing this post on Thanksgiving weekend? But there truly is so much to be grateful for, not just this month but for the entire year that has gone by. So, instead of just November, I am going to try and do a wrap up for the year gone by, focusing on some of the highlights that I am grateful for.

January 2024: College acceptance, Family Wedding & Meeting Friends

The year began with finalizing the law college for my daughter. The prior two years had been intense, with her spending hours on end each day, preparing for one of the toughest competitive exams in India- the Common Law Admission Test. As of January 1st, 2024, it was a relief to not only confirm the seat but sit back and focus on her school-leaving certificate which was scheduled for March this year.

I was immensely grateful to the Almighty at this assurance so early in the year but even more than that, I was intensely proud of my daughter. Once she had secured this seat, she took a voluntary choice not to write any more entrance exams. In an academic world that is fueled by peer pressure, it was heartening to note that she was able to take this kind of a solid decision even before she’d turned 18.

Travel to Pune-Nagpur-Shirdi- Aurangabad

Mid January saw us travel to Nagpur for a wedding in the family. However, of late, as a family, our travel has evolved to become a bit more expansive and not restricted to a specific location. We typically plan our trips to be at least 5 days long (in some cases, much longer), such that we can cover multiple locations during a single visit. How this works is that we fly in and out of a specific location and if within India, we book a Zoom Car to use as a self-driven vehicle which makes it easy for us to commute locally as well as between cities.

In this situation, we landed at Pune airport, picked up our self-drive car from the designated location and set off for Shirdi to have darshan at the Shirdi Sai Baba mandir.

Soon after that we headed to Aurangabad to visit the Ellora caves and finally reached Nagpur to attend the wedding. We then drove back to Aurangabad to see the Ajantha caves and then Pune to rest for a day before flying back home to Bangalore. Apart from the incredible tourism that we enjoyed, the things I am most grateful for, is the love of family, the warmth of friends and the kindness of strangers.

I also got to meet one of my favourite bloggers in the world — Tulika of Obsessive Mom — whom I had known for over 10 years in the blogging space! We met for the first time in person and she was sweet enough to come all the way to my hotel to catch up in person. I can’t say enough for the power of words and the bridges that we end up building because of them.

April 2024: Vietnam — A Vacation to Remember

We now skip straight to April, since February and March were pretty packed with Gy’s exam schedules. Not that I don’t have anything to be thankful for, of course. Just that I want to focus on the highlights of this year when it comes to sharing my gratitude for some of the best moments.

We started off by planning a long, 3-week vacation to Vietnam in mid-March. Within a week, things fell quickly into place and before we knew it, we were all set for a 22-day trip to one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited. Since we decided to truly immerse ourselves in the cultural beauty that is Vietnam, we decided we would spend a good, long time in the country, doing as much as we could, without pressure.

In 3 weeks, we covered most of the big cities starting from the south of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City to the north, Hanoi. From traveling by bus, cab, limousine and scooters everywhere, we fell in love with the place and enjoyed every minute of it. I will do a separate post on our entire Vietnam trip (maybe in parts), but sharing a collage of some of our visits to this delightful country.

What I was grateful for: the abundance of vegan restaurants all over Vietnam, the incredible kindness and politeness of the Vietnamese, the spectacular weather, the convenience of traveling from one point to another made even simpler by online booking facilities.

April was when I also turned 46 and it’s been a memorable year on many fronts. I’d like to believe that I am wiser and kinder, of course. But I am truly grateful for the many lessons I have learnt these last 4 decades — no regrets whatsoever. Everything has happened exactly as it should have.

May 2024 — Village Rathotsavam & 23 Years of Marriage

This was a fun month! We got to meet the extended family at our ancestral village in Palakkad, Kerala. We also timed it in such a way as to attend the Rathotsavam — the chariot festival — of our village. Apart from being a religious and cultural extravaganza, this festival is a delightful way to reconnect with all the village members, across multiple generations. People travel from their respective cities (and countries) to attend this event and it’s truly a marvel to witness. My daughter and I had the opportunity to attend this for the first time and it was absolutely splendid to be a part of the energy and charm that surrounded the chariot.

This was also the month when my husband and I completed 23 years of marriage and it feels at once surreal and overwhelming. How much we’ve been through — as a couple and as individuals- in the last 2 decades! We’ve grown together and we’ve also progressed on our own paths, taking things as they come. There’s a lot to be grateful for, when it comes to our union and I, for one, try never to take it for granted.

July, 2024 — Empty Nest & Our Daughter Turns 18

This was such a bittersweet month, to be very honest. On the one hand, there was the immense emotional upheaval that came from our daughter moving out to another state, to join college. On the other hand, it was the month that she officially became an adult.

Balancing both these moments came with its own share of joy and sadness, intermingled with the assurance that this is a part of life and everything happens in good time.

What I am grateful for: Her roommates (who have turned out to be solid, wonderful girls), her college which is a mix of academic and cultural diversity and the quiet assurance with which she adapted to living on her own, making decisions that range from the mundane to the profound. There can be no better feeling as a parent, than seeing your child come into their own.

The Final Quarter of 2024

The past few months have been an exercise in letting go (as a parent) and also learning to embrace the novelty of being an empty nester. While I won’t deny that it’s tough on some days, there is a quiet sense of gratitude that now fills my days.

I’ve dived back into studying plant-based nutrition and learn something new everyday. My interest in fitness has redoubled and I find myself watching videos about anatomy and physiology as it relates to our body’s mobility. My spiritual side is also being re-awakened with a study of the Bhagavad Gita and the commentary on the same. Each day brings a deeper awareness of what my role is, in this world.

None of this would be possible without everything else that has come before and perhaps that is the greatest lesson of all when it comes to gratitude. Each step forward counts.

Originally published at http://shailajav.in on November 29, 2024.