Credit | Africa Studio

We are halfway through 2017. Can you believe it? Well, I certainly can’t. I’m so busy with M and work that on most days I don’t even realise when my day begins and ends. It’s as if I have regained consciousness for the first time after New Year’s and it’s already July.

Well, as I embark upon another hectic month and the first month of the rest of the year, I thought it’s as good a time as any to be grateful for all that has come by this year.

To be honest with you, I had written the above lines quite mechanically. I just wanted to do a gratitude post but was I really going to truthfully acknowledge all that I was grateful for? Perhaps, not. But the universe has its way of reminding us what’s important. And so a few things happened to give me some much-needed perspective. As I write this today, I cannot help but feel thankful for everyone in my life, grateful that they are safe and with me.

June has taught me to not fuss over the little missteps which don’t matter in the larger scheme of things.

I try every now and then to practice the five finger gratitude rule before going to sleep at night. But then again it is just that, a forced practice. I have to put an effort to remember to do it. Most of the time I’m so exhausted that I just rush through it. It’s strange because as a child, I would pray every night. It was sincere, straight from my heart. I would thank God every day for all that that I had in my life. I used to pray for everyone around me, every single day so much so that it irritated my sister. But as years overtook the innocence in my heart, that practice became more and rarer, eventually disappearing completely.

Faith always gave me strength as a little girl. It still does.

There are times when even now I find myself talking to God, the higher power, but these moments have become few and far in between. As a child and a young girl, my faith gave me a lot of strength. Even now when I find myself reaching out to God, I feel reassured. It’s strange thus that I don’t take out the time to do it more often. Not as a religious practice really. My time with God has always been about my faith in Him, talking to Him and believing that He’s listening to me. Never about the nitty gritty of religion. It has always been about gratitude at what He has given me. Always. So when certain things transpired on the very last day of June, I reached out to my faith in the power of the universe, my faith in HIM.

I must tell you that I’m a very impulsive person. I don’t know about you but even the most insignificant of things not going as planned end up flustering me. It could be anything from tea spilling from the kettle or the water supply being turned off for some maintenance activity. Or, rains when I’m about to commute with M. Just about anything at all.

So, last week on Friday, I was waiting for a particular news at work, looking forward rather but unfortunately, that didn’t transpire. I won’t lie. I was upset, dejected rather. But there was no time to sulk, I had to bring M home, take care of dinner and all the other things that need sorting every day. But inside I was hurt. I wanted to sit in a corner and cry. But I chose to wait for S to unburden myself. Talking to him always gives me strength. He helps me see through the most disappointing of things.

June has taught me to look beyond the obvious, take in the view of the wood, not just of a single tree.

I heard S parking the car and that itself gave me some relief. My problem which seemed so big and important at that moment would finally be analysed and solved. I could put it behind me once and for all.

But I didn’t know then that while I was sulking, a truck had hit S’s car while he was driving home bringing me my favourite stash of fishes to alleviate my mood. By good fortune, S was safe but the car had to be sent for work. The only important thing was that S was not hurt and with us. Safe and sound.

A moment before knowing that all this had transpired, I was thinking how unlucky I am because of that disappointment at work. But when S related the incident I couldn’t help but thank my stars for all that I had. I felt so grateful.

So, more than anything else, June has woken me up from this slumber of neglect when it comes to acknowledging my blessings. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for the life I have and the people in it. The fact that all those I love are safe, with me gives me the strength to go on. June has taught me to look beyond the obvious, take in the view of the wood, not just of a single tree. June has taught me to not fuss over the little missteps which don’t matter in the larger scheme of things. June has given me a part of my childhood back because I like being the girl whose faith gave her courage. June has taught me to look beyond the obvious, take in the view of the wood, not just of a single tree. June has taught me to not fuss over the little missteps which don’t matter in the larger scheme of things. June has given me a part of my childhood back because I like being the girl whose faith gave her courage.

Tell me, what is your take on faith and gratitude?

***

Joining the Gratitude Circle Hosted by vidyasury.com