Nirupama P.R.V.'s Blog: Catty Opinions of a Book Loving Couch Potato, page 11

Lens of Gratitude- Day 18

New day, new beginnings.

What am I grateful for today?

Today is a Friday. The day that signals the weekend is always amazing. Simply because you can anticipate chilling out on the next two days. Of course, having a couple of items to actually accomplish makes it more fun. Crossing those off makes it even better, but that only Monday will tell.
I was able to catch up with my sister and a dear friend yesterday. I really am grateful for that because all of us have small children, so being in the midst of a feeding session or needing to put someone down for a nap has a high probability. So, happy that I could work in two happy conversations in one day.
The kiddo has Specials in her virtual school today. That means Storytime and Art class. These activities are equally important as STEM and reading curriculum; so I am delighted that the school has incorporated them into the weekly schedule too! Hurrah!

And of course, being a Friday, it’s time to plan for the weekend. A few minutes on this activity helps with a productive weekend. That means. A mini vacation that will refresh me for the week ahead.

What are your plans? How do you spend Friday’s?

Also, what are you focusing your Lens of Gratitude on today?

Share in the comments below.

Lens of Gratitude- Day 17

Hello everyone!!

It’s a cloudy day around where I live and typical of Fall season.

For a few years now, we have been going Apple picking. Our adventures can be seen here.

But with the pandemic, it simply is not possible to do all those Fall fun activities that had become a tradition of sorts for us.

But we are still eating apples, delicious ones. And that makes me grateful. I did not realized what a sense of normalcy it brings, to just be able to do ‘normal’ activities when we are fighting a virulent pandemic across the globe.

So, my first gratitude is for all the folks who are working in the food industry, who have ensured that we can still indulge in foods and ingredients of the world. Thank you very much!!

The second is for Legos. The toddler is discovering the joys of blocks while the kiddo is surviving the lack of friends often with Legos and dolls. We completed two 30 minute challenges yesterday. So, despite the bodily injury it causes me and the husband, I am grateful for the creativity it affords.

My third gratitude is for Libraries. Isn’t it amazing that they are open and available? So awesome for parents of little children who want books more than ever to balance the inevitable screen time. Don’t judge!! New times, new and rules, new tools!

Since I started this challenge, one of the biggest shifts that have personal happened is not taking things for granted. Being grateful and writing it down has helped me be joyous for things that went unnoticed earlier.

What are you focusing your lens of gratitude in today?

Lens of Gratitude- Day 16

Hello everyone!!!

Another new day and the chance to accomplish kind and useful objectives.

On my Gratitude list today are the following:

The sight of a chuckling baby late at night. While I did grumble at the unwelcome interruption to my precious sleep (who does honestly); the look on her face as I crooned The Ants Go Marching. Clearly a girl ready for some midnight mischief. The mortal in me curbed thoughts of drifting to sandman’s land. Instead it was ‘Time to Giggle’ as the toys in our house sing!!!
Deep breathing. Unfortunately I am not talking about the benefits to me. Instead, I am talking in the effect it has on my kids. They clearly think the whole thing is a rag and double up with laughter. Even the little one falls sideways in the way I had only seen in Youtube videos. Not good for my ego but a handy tool for times when the CrankyTown is in view.
The Social Dilemma. We watched this Netflix documentary on social media over four days. (Ah, the joys of parenting!) It is amazing. Weaved partly as drama, partly as documentary style, it is so compelling and puts forth the dark side of social media so aptly. Watch it folks!!! It’s a great way to reinforce the importance of ‘personal responsibility’ in using any tool- including social media.

With that, it’s off to do great or at least kind things!! Stay cheerful, stay grateful, stay blessed.

Lens of Gratitude- Day 15

The middle of September and 15 days of looking at the bright side.

My Gratitude list for today comprises the following list :

– For the smile on children’s faces. They can help power through anything.

– for strollers: such a fab way to get out and moving with the kiddos.

– for imagination. We noticed a bunch of mushrooms in our evening walk and imagined that there were a family of mushroom. On our next pass, we wondered if fairies would soon establish residence there. It was fun making up stories and having a giggle fest.

That’s all folks. Stay blessed, stay cheerful.

Lens of Gratitude- Day 14

Today is a sad day – but even amid a tragic news, can’t help but feel gratitude for the important things in life:

Family-that rallies in times of good and bad
For memories, that can be treasured and that are always ours to keep and cherish forever
For the ability to pray- we can’t always do all that we like, when we like. But we can always pray!

Stay blessed, stay grateful.

Lens of Gratitude- Day 13

Today is a Sunday. The day even the Lord took rest.

And while I do not follow Christianity, the idea has merit. One day to rest our bodies, minds and souls. For this day of ease, relaxation and lack of deadlines, I am grateful.

It’s a bright sunny day today. The birds are chirping and the little one actually saw a bird twit from one tree to another cooing as it went. The wheels in her mind finally turned and the look of comprehension on her face was priceless.

We had cake again today. It’s so delicious- I have to add it as my third gratitude for today.

What’s your day shaping to be? Good? Monotonous? Blessed?

I almost missed adding this post and thus, nixing my continuous streak. Nothing special happened but I chose to find the wonder in every day moments. All said and done, since I hav posted, I’ll say the 13th didn’t turn out quite that bad for me.

What are you choosing to look at today? Ha he your perspective , adopt the lens of gratitude. Stay cheerful, stay optimistic, stay blessed.

Lens of Gratitude- Day 12

Half the day is over but it feels like a looong Saturday!

We celebrated the little one’s birthday over Zoom. So much fun. We had a slew of grandparents, grand uncles and aunts, lots of aunts and uncles and many cousins. Three out of the many attendees were a year or younger (including the birthday gal) and we had two great grandpas. As can be imagined, it was loud, chaotic, but super fun and a blast! (Gratitude #1)

I have to say, we were almost late to our own party. I was convinced the baby would have a fit, mere seconds into the session. We had to dive right into the cake cutting ceremony because well, two kids, a cake and aromatic chocolate…

Lens of Gratitude- Day 11

I am so pleased I stuck out with this Daily Challenge.

I did it – 10 whole days!!! And already onto Day 11. (Gratitude #1)

Full Disclosure: I was tempted to cave in yesterday as the little one had scraped herself the previous day. A result of her usual Tasmanian Devilish antics, my trying to curb the same after the incident, her sleeping badly and keeping me awake in consequence- I had excuses. Add to the list, my phone battery had died by morning. And we were almost late for (gasp!) virtual school.

But I did not miss the posting.

I knew I had enough good points to be thankful for. And having a festival, that too of the Baby Avatar of Lord Vishnu, no less helped immensely. It was almost like divine guidance – His Mother had to deal with her child fighting with Demons and worse. What’s a few scrapes and sleepless nights, right??

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Call it faith or the power of Gratitude or simply years of parenting having finally taught me to roll with the punches; the article was posted.

So, today’s second Gratitude goes out to the theme of posting itself. The Lens of Gratitude seems to be working. Like a new pair glasses, they seem different and it feels easier to rip them off and squint and they are heavy… but they definitely improve the perspective. (Pun fully intended.)

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My third Gratitude is also related to festival of Krishna. We made sweet butter with a mixture of softened unsalted butter and sugar as an offering to the Lord. As a result, I have discovered the joy of eating said spread on a piece of buttered toast. Yumm!!!!

So, what have you attracted in your life with a positive outlook? Are you trying to shift the focus to the little joys of life?

As ever, stay cheerful, stay vibrant, stay blessed.

Lens of Gratitude – Day 10

Happy Janmashtami!!

For all the folks who celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna, wishing a joyous Krishna Jayanthi. May the year be full of love and laughter.

In our home, the baby is now officially old enough to partake all the milk based delicacies that are synonymous with the festival. (Gratitude #1)

There are flowers in full bloom outside our bedroom window. (Courtesy our apartment landscaping efforts) With the rains yesterday, the effect is one of enchantment. (Gratitude #2)

The baby now has started speaking in a full babble as only 12 month olds can. It is so adorable and funny. (Gratitude #3)

That’s all for today- but more than enough to fill my heart.

What’s your Lens of Gratitude giving you?

Gratitude Journal- Day 9

Hello everyone!!

How is your day coming along? Are you feeling happy, excited, tired, anxious???

The day is rainy and overcast here in North Carolina, so sure to depress a lot of folks. But for me, I am feeling silly and happy.

Because it’s typical rainy weather.

I grew up in Mumbai so this kind of weather makes me feel nostalgic and hence, happy. (Gratitude#1) . Isn’t it amazing the way we are raised colors our view of the world? Literally in my case!!

The other thing about this weather is that it’s not cold! Fall has started yet the weather is beautiful. I lived in Illinois near Windy Chicago for 8+ years, so getting to still sport my summer outfits is fantastic.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved my life there- the friends, the community, the facilities, the sights and sounds of the bustling towns, the industriousness and ambition, the Loop and the Metra. The husband and I commenced our married journey there and it was right there in the vast Midwest, that both my babies entered my world. So, the mere mention of the place is always going to make me smile. And I know it’s made me strong enough to brave any storm.

But all said and done, it still feels fabulous to have merry weather !!! (Gratitude #2)

Also, I realized that I completed 2 books last month, so I am well on schedule as far as the Reading Challenge goes. Hurrah!!! (Gratitude #3)

So, what are you choosing to see today? Glum skies or the cherished tones of loving childhood? Ordinary temperatures or the delight of a warm autumn?

It’s all in our minds. We just need to use our Lens of Gratitude!

Stay safe, stay blessed, stay grateful!