Life is not a mystery and we do not stand alone. (I know I am ripping off Madonna but then you can see I tweaked that a bit hehe). We may not know what lies ahead in our life but we go ahead and make the best of it. There are times when we go through the best phase of our lives which is immediately followed by a dip in the graph which reverses one’s fortunes. However I believe that everything is for a reason as there is no such concept as a good or bad time. It is in our minds on how we perceive it. I know I am the worst offender as I whine about all my problems and don’t do anything about it. For some reason everything works out in the end and we can call it a test or blessing that we go through a testing time. Anyway I have drifted from the topic again. I would like to share something with my readers over here.

This incident takes place not so long ago (3 weeks to be precise) when I was going through one of my dark moods. My angst and fury at everyone prompted me to call Mo so I could get some help. We discussed a lot of stuff which actually helped me get through that phase. Mo told me to conduct an exercise and to write down the 100 things I am grateful for in life. Since I had resolved my problem I totally forgot about it till last week when I was watching a movie.  The movie was kinda boring so I started focusing on other stuff i.e. extras, background, etc It made me wonder what sort of lives different people live.  I know that everyone has a different lifestyle and that it comes with a long list of  pros and cons. People are not grateful for what they have and yet they want more. There have been times when I have made a mental list of all the things I am grateful for and it has really helped me.

There was a scene in the movie when I saw a brass band playing during the song. I started to wonder what sort of lives they may be leading. There isnt much money to make playing in a brass band especially in India and Pakistan. These poor guys are barely educated or probably illiterate which is one reason why they have to make a living playing at weddings and other functions which require a brass band. I am sure they dont make so much at the end of the day and they have families to support. That was the moment when I started feeling really bad as I know I have not been grateful on a lot of occasions. This is why I wrote a piece on why i am grateful.

I am grateful for the fact that my grandpa decided to branch out into something a long time back and start his own business at the age of 16. If he had not done that we would have been born in some backward place with no education. I am grateful that my grandpa made sure that my mum and all her siblings got a proper education. If mum had not gotten a proper education I would not have been able to do whatever I have achieved till now. I am grateful that my dad also got a proper education at a proper school (the only one amongst his siblings). If dad weren’t educated he would have never moved out of the small town and into the big leagues. I am grateful for the fact that my folks sent me to the best schools, gave us food, water and shelter over our heads and protected us from all the evils in the world. I am grateful for the fact that my parents were fair but strict and encouraged me to take part in after school activities and to socialize with everyone. I am grateful for the values they instilled in me and the methods they used to discipline me. I am grateful for all the liberties they gave us at home. I am grateful for the fact that my parents arent so possessive and that they let me go off for my higher education. I am so grateful that my parents paid for my expensive tuition fees in London and I did not let them down. I am so grateful that I have parents who are my rock and have been there for me all the way. I am so grateful that I have lovely siblings whom I fight with but love at the same time. I am so grateful that no matter how weird my family can be they will always be there for you during times of need. I am so grateful that Allah has blessed me with all my six senses and the ability to read and write. I may think I am lacking somewhere but I know that I have my own unique personality which makes me special. I am grateful that my health is not poor and that I take good care of myself. I am grateful that I have food and shelter while I am working far far away from home.

These are just some of the things I am grateful for. What are you grateful for?