My Gratitude List for 2015


One post is not enough to sum up what a great and eventfulyear 2015 has been. So here’s the second post.  Looking back at the year that went by I realize I have so much to be grateful about.

My Gratitude List for December is here. I feel elated to finally share it with you all. I am thankful for:

1.        Being an active part of an initiative- I had always wanted to take part in a group initiative, however small it might it. Taking part in the ‘Secret Santa’ initiative was so much fun. I learned a lot in the process- spreading happiness and cheer, believing more in giving than in receiving, and that there is no need for an occasion to gift someone, even a stranger. Bringing a smile to someone’s face can feel so good. I connected with so many like minded souls, read their words, felt inspired. The feeling of belonging was great.

2.     Being able to donate for charity- For the first time in life I made a donation from my own earning. I sponsored a family of four for a day. It felt great. Even though for a few seconds, I felt my life is worth it. The ‘DoRight’ moment. Next time, I want to do it being physically present, not just through a click in an online portal.

3.      Being someone’s Secret Santa- Ever since I have known about Santa, I have wanted to be one. In school and college days, I remember writing letters of appreciation and inspirational lines and leaving it in my friends’ bags secretly. That was the Santa I could be then. This was the first time I could buy a gift and send it to a stranger- someone I knew nothing about. I was so excited about the whole process- especially selecting the gift.

4.      Receiving from Dear Santa- Yes, I did receive from my Santa. I don’t know who it was. The child in me is so excited!!

Gift from Santa :) :)


5.      Spending quality time with family- The first few days after returning Bhubaneswar(home) from Mysore felt surreal. I felt the need to touch my roots, know where I belong, feel settled and let go of that ‘foreign’, ‘out-of-home’ kind of feeling. Family time healed the emotional imbalance and the state of confusion that I felt then. We had a family get-together; my sister and I had a great grocery shopping one evening for our numerous recipe making sessions at home; and chit chats and gossips galore. Love being home.

6.      Spending awesome time with friends- Reconnecting with old friends was the best part of the last few months.  Caught up with my bestie too. Had fun. Had a lot of soul to soul talk with each one. Even staying in the same city, we hardly find time to meet. Yet on alternate weekends we try and catch up with one another’s lives. Good times have arrived. It feels great. Life needs nothing more.

7.      Being able to find happiness in simple pleasures of life- Painting the earthen lamps for Diwali, sipping green tea in a winter evening, tryst with a hot cup of coffee at office, watching my recent favorite Korean sitcom in a lazy afternoon, cutting and chopping veggies for a recipe, all the time spent in kitchen even though it’s in food-photography- I love it. I’m creating my own vacation in daily life, my own way. Yes, even coding for UI-design, I’m loving it!


For 2016, I have a wish- I want to travel more. It’s simple, yet a dream. Welcome 2016!!

I’m sharing my #TalesOf2015 with BlogAdda.

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Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

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  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundhati Katju

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