Twenty- five Seven

November #Gratitude

November 25, 2016

November Gratitude

It’s November and 2016 is almost over ! I can hardly believe it. This year I celebrated my first ever Thanksgiving in America. As I savoured the succulent turkey, sipped on a mellow Cabernet and listened to snippets of conversation that owed around the table , I realised I had a lot to be grateful for.

An American Tradition

For one I was grateful that my hosts invited me to their home to partake of the most splendid turkey I’ve ever eaten.

I’ve always had turkey for Christmas and this was the first time ever I had it for Thanksgiving.

And it was a wonderful feeling to actually express gratitude and celebrate abundance. Thanks D & S for thinking of us on this day.

Did you know that it was only 85 years ago that President Herbert Hoover declared it a nationwide holiday?

Since then, this has become a much cherished holiday and you can notice a palpable spirit of good cheer as the days become darker and greyer for most parts of the US.

Gratitude for health

In spite of jet engines and motor cars, travelling is not always easy. Traversing time zones in short periods of time plays havoc with one’s Circadian Rhythm. I am thankful that I am strong enough to sit squashed in the window seat for four hours at a stretch.

I am grateful that I could travel to Cleveland and San Francisco to meet friends and family .

Gratitude for wealth

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” — Marcel Proust

True wealth is measured not in gold and silver but in the abundance of family, friends and relationships.

I am grateful for my family that loves me and supports me with all my idiosyncrasies.

I am equally grateful for friends who understand my moments of silence and are ready to pick up from where we left off .

In this increasingly busy world, it is difficult to talk to everyone everyday. It is also difficult to read and respond to the text messages, emails and phone calls that I receive. Yet, despite my infrequent communication, I am grateful that friends and family understand and continue to stand by me when I reach out.

Thank you my dear friends from the past and new ones from the present for the warmth of your friendship.

Gratitude for happiness

“Happiness is itself a kind of gratitude.” — Joseph Wood Krutch

The ability to be happy is indeed a gift and I am grateful that I have this in plenty.

They say when life throws you lemons, make lemonade and I’ve made so much that the enamel of my teeth is wearing thin. But I’m grateful for the fact that I can still see the bright side of any situation (often in hindsight) and be happy most of the time

Gratitude for technology

When I see my little granddaughter swiping my iPhone, I thank God for technology that has made it possible for my different worlds to stay connected.

What would I have done without wifi?

Gratitude for being

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks”. — Unknown

Far away from the sunny shores of Mumbai as I watch the days getting colder and darker, I am grateful for being where I am – snug and cozy in a heated apartment.

This week will be the last few days of my long stay in America and I am grateful that I could enjoy these days away from home.

While miss the half of my family left behind, I am grateful for these precious moments I’m spending with the other half!

This hasn’t been a seamless transition and it has had its share of scares, worries, tantrums and tears. But we survived it and today I am grateful to see the two of them settling down to a new life in a far away place.

Finally, after days of living I never America, I am grateful for being Indian . Thank God we don’t have car seats to hamper journeys; where people can talk loudly without fear of disturbing their neighbours; where the streets are crowded and teeming with people; where you can step out and hail a cab or jump on to a bus and where you can still get hired help at a pinch.

Now isn’t that a lot to be thankful for?

Linking this up with Vidya Sury’s #GratitudeCircle and Corinne’s #FridayReflection post.
My #SupermoonMonday

November 15, 2016

Do you remember Kohoutek?

Well in case you don’t, it was a comet, the first very comet I saw shooting across my Mumbai sky.

I don’t know why but shooting stars and comets are rarely seen in my sky. On the other hand, a million stars twinkle through the night especially on a moonless night.

Or is it that I don’t look up unless something spectacular is happening in the sky above ?

Like the Supermoon that loomed up high behind a misty, cloudy sky?

Unfortunately when the moon was just rising , the trees were hiding it from view so I couldn’t capture it in all its glory.

However I was glad to have glimpsed this moon that has been the closest to the earth it has ever been for the past 68 years.

The next time this will happen is supposed to be on 25th November 2034.

I should be over 3/4ths of a century old by then!
In search of the California Redwood#MondayMusings

November 15, 2016

Looking for the California Redwood

“What would you like to see? ” asked Cousin R.

“A redwood forest,” said I promptly as I wanted to see the famed California Redwoods. Promptly he arranged to go for a hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve rather than a leisurely stroll in Muir Woods which is what most tourists do. But I must confess that hiking is not my forte especially when it meant walking down a mile in my high heeled boots and hiking back up again!

So after a few yards down and the mandatory photo op, we changed gears and headed downtown for a quick visit of the city.

Being an adventurous foodie, Cousin R treated me to a Peruvian lunch at Limon which was a great introduction to an exotic cuisine in a hip and trendy restaurant in the heart of the foodie district. With cafes and bistros providing every kind of food , we had plans of cafe hopping but unfortunately had to push it to another visit another time.

[Tweet “Did you know that Peruvian cuisine is distinguished by it a unique mix of Japanese and Spanish influences? “]

We washed down our meal with a yummy ice cream before heading down to the iconic Palace of Fine Arts. After a quick stroll around the grounds we went down to the Golden Gate to see another magnificent sunset.

Time difference

The Supermoon is rising as I write this post but for most of you it is already Tuesday morning!

Not only is there a time difference that I am unfamiliar with but it is the early moonrise at just 6 pm that I find strangely disconcerting. Imagine being plunged into darkness at a time when I normally have my evening cup of tea?

Far away from all that is familiar to me, I can’t help wondering at how all of us are doing such diverse things at exactly the same moment . Here I am getting ready for dinner while some of you are getting your breakfasts ready. Or some of you are already fast asleep while yet others are busy at work.

Making memories, sharing memories

Despite infrequent meetings as cousins while growing up, we still managed to foster bonds that want to make us meet again. And thanks to technology, physical distances are covered with FaceTime, Facebook and Whatsapp.

And thanks to Apps like Ripl, I can share memories of SFO with you !

Is technology your friend or foe?

Linking this up with #MondayMusings