Life — As I know it !!
It’s 2020. Almost past mid-year. Some of us are in quarantine, some in social distancing, some grieving, shocked and some in denial. No one knew it could get us here. No one thought it would take this long.
The only solace these days to many familiar to me seems to be Netflix, HBO and the likes of such streaming channels, boosted by the culinary delights that churn and whip out of our kitchens. Some of us are knitting, quilling and then some make magic with paints. We have learned to survive. Professionals would call it coping mechanisms. I would still call it survival.
While the world went into lock-down for a bit, to the work force at my organization, our desks shifted to our homes. Meetings through video calls have grown extensively and are certainly seem to be one of the most optimal ways to stay connected during these times. For those of us who are quite social by nature, I am certain these times are hard. For me, who sat in a plane every 3 months, I miss the hustle bustle of the airports, the time I spend observing people in transit, the duty free goodies and of course the ‘me’ time I crave for. I am no fan of the food they serve on the plane but I am happy to be acceptable of it, whilst it takes me to the other side of the world where all my favorite get together — the sun, the sand, the mountains and some close-to-my-heart friends with whom i share deep conversations of my heart. In all humility, my heart goes out to the many who do not have the privilege to be on the good side of life during this crisis and I silently pray.
I happened to watch the movie ‘Miracles in Heaven’ starring Jennifer Garner over the weekend. And it reminded me of many things about my life. While I consider myself blessed, it was not easy to get here. Life beats you down in countless unimaginable ways that one can never be prepared for. Yet, the indomitable spirit of the human nature surprises me everyday when we hear such incidents and stories from across the world.
A near-death experience during a surgery was my first opportunity to reflect and be grateful for everything I lived through. I will never say it is easy. To some, it comes naturally. To many like me, life had to hit hard, to be reminded of all the good that it brings along while we focus on everything else.
Since then, there have been many experiences where life has hurled me to the ground. It seems hard to even look ahead, leave alone hope and faith. Sometimes we are sent angels, sometimes we are sent miracles. Some of them comes as friends, and for some like me, it could be a little furry friend.
I learnt unconditional love from my dog. My cats were always connoisseurs of comfort and relaxation and from them I learnt self-care. A large part of my life owes it to them for making me a better human being.
It’s 2020. Almost past mid-year. I have made it a daily practice to remind myself of everything that I have overcome to be here today and thank the universe for being kind to me in its own way.
For the longest time, till date, I always remind myself : A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles.
