Being grateful to silent anchors...

In life I often tend to focus on the stuff that is not working and am intent on fixing it. The things that are falling in place and do not require my attention or bandwidth, I just fleetingly recognise them for the way they are but don't dwell on sending some heartfelt gratitude there. The reason I am even writing such a non-complaining, or a non-self-deprecating post, rather a more a realistic one which is hopefully more the tone of my blog is I realise that this attitude results in a slightly lop sided view of everything. Yin and yang go together and both must be duly acknowledged.

The family looks forward to the Sunday school. It was a chance meeting with R, at the ballet lesson, when she mentioned that they  have started this initiative for the Indian community. The venue was close by and the first class was a trial lesson.

After arriving here, the transiency phase was something I have felt acutely. Home with mom's illness on my mind had reigned topmost, along with the efforts with working with kids towards catching up at school and language, limited friends who I could talk to...my personal existential crisis at an all-time high. We really loved it the first time there, I don't remember interacting much with anyone in particular but the vibes were good. It took some convincing for the husband to make it an every Sunday practice but once he saw the kids enjoy it there, he has been cooperative alright, going so far to say that he looks forward to it too.

Last October, the kids at the school put up a small skit on Ramnavami...more than the actual play itself, it was the planning, the rehearsal etc that will remain as fond memories, the sharing of costumes, jewellery, deciding on the props, the pics thereafter...For me, all this was at a time when Mom was lost to me and this helped me out of my slump in some way.

The two years I spent in India were retrospectively good for me, though the time I lived there, most of the days I felt I was dodging something or the other. At times I have even wondered if the feeling was a result of my incapability or inadequacy to handle things or just a dasha of a sort. 

It was also a time when I reconnected with people from the past...some whom I was in touch with on and off, some like whispering sea-shells washed up by the waves...you know who you are...The conversations grew with time, I can't say when and how, and knowing how precious these connections are in the adult phase of life, I feel so blessed. I did let go of some too, but then it's always a balancing act. 

Source: Off my FB TL, thank you K

This quote is thanks to an FB friend. Her page at http://wondersurrender.tumblr.com/ is worth a dekko.

The core family has always remained a rock like support and comfort for each one of us. My husband mostly understanding and supportive...my kids always bringing joy and wonder to our lives...My father's voice on the phone - so precious, pings and responses from brother and extended family whenever it happens....Touchwood!

The school for the kids here and the lovely dedicated teachers deserve a mention. lil G's teacher would talk to me in English and even to her in the beginning till she got comfortable with the language. Big G's teacher and me collaborated in our efforts to get her through the learning curve for Maths....meeting some nice folks at the speaking class where we meet once a week  to get better at speaking, with a lot varied interaction thrown in.

Our neighbours downstairs who are almost like grandparents to the kids...Friends like S who listen without judgement....other tentative friendships which could see spring and blossom if given the time and attention....the fact that Big G is dropped by her classmate's Oma to enable going to dance class.....

A grateful shout out to my friends from the blogging world who visit now and then, and leave comments when they do... Am sorry if I don't visit blogs and comment proactively - have always been meaning to- but do a random catch up via feedly, yup, still using that...all those friends in real life who are in touch with now and then, as we don't walk the same paths anymore...I could go on and on - I must not forget to mention nature and its beauty, now that I seem to be warmed up ...but hey, this is no Academy Acceptance Speech though a reread makes it seem just so:D, rather than the quiet acknowledgement it was meant to be.

Of course life could always be better... one could be doing more things...aiming at more success, being more productive, etc but the intention is towards being grateful for all that's going right in the now...to all those who are there and I don't tell them how much their being there means to me.

Linking this post to the #Gratitude Circle at Vidya Sury's blog http://vidyasury.com/category/gratitude.