23rd Birthday Musings

What is it with new years, sunsets and birthdays that make you so reflective…

Well, I’m officially 23. And as anti-climactic as that statement is (can you have a climax if there’s no build-up?), I can’t keep the smile off my face, which makes me wonder: am I deranged?

Isn’t it supposed to be scary moving up the twenties decade? Aren’t there so many big life-changing decisions that need to be made? Isn’t there a big possibility of messing everything up, for myself, my kids, my family? Shouldn’t I be fast asleep at 1:30am considering I have to wake up in four hours and go to work?

The simple answer is: yes.

Then again, I suppose that’s also going to be true for every coming year of my life. So I figured I might as well focus on the good stuff.

I learnt recently that one of the simplest ways to be happy is to show gratitude: for the big stuff and the small things. So that’s exactly what I’m going to do (in order of how they come across my head).

I’m thankful:

• For getting a chance to re-connect with family and friends who had faded away in the last few years of my life
• For being part of a mission that I genuinely believe in
• For being surrounded by a group of talented individuals who have that same passion
• For having the chance to make a difference in the lives of so many kids
• For living in India, the only place that really feels like home
• For learning how to cross roads in Mumbai, and appreciating the importance of hands in this process
• For being able to wander the roads of Mumbai on my own
• For partly overcoming my fear of Dadar station
• For having survived one year on my own in India – a feat I was told several times I would not be able to do
• For being fine health-wise. I no longer have to think before sitting
• For getting the green signal from my parents to visit Pakistan
• For bhai getting engaged to the most awesome person ever
• For visiting New Zealand – one of the genuinely most peaceful places I’ve seen
• For getting to meet my parents so often
• For getting to meet the entire khandaan at Gaurav bhaiya’s wedding
• For spending the first ever mommy-daughter alone time in Bombay, and having a ball throughout
• For Marine Drive and Worli Sea-face
• For the wind
• For feeling close to my Toronto friends despite speaking sparingly
• For the Long Island Iced Teas
• For meeting the mind-blowing team of 3.2.1
• For starting to understand the essence of education
• For my fellow Harry Potter geeks (Heeks)
• For my umbrella
• For Bahadur – the guy who cleans up our house
• For having low tolerance of alcohol – keeps the pockets a little fuller
• For the hugs
• For my currently lice-free hair
• For the Nescafe 3in1 coffee
• For Maggie
• For my friend’s baking skills
• For my co-teacher’s ability to draw straight lines
• For the look of recognition I get every time I see my grocery guy, ironing guy and the Xerox guys
• For seeing the flags of Kuwait, Canada and India at TFI’s presentation today
• For the feeling of belongingness I surprisingly felt for all three flags
• For my nickname, Toronto
• For the (rarely) empty train rides
• For having my blog tweeted around by strangers
• For my cousin’s blog having the ability to instantly cheer-me-up
• For having friends with cars
• For the awesome cabbies in Mumbai
• For the sporadic star sighting (the Bollywood ones)
• For the once-in-my-life star gazing (the sky ones)
• For the trip to Panchgani with an entirely different set of friends
• For all the possibilities awaiting me this year
• For spending midnight at home with a cake, close friend and roomies
• For all the wishes and hugs I’m going to get today