October EDITION

The month gone by has been a big eye-opener for me. We lost a family friend who succumbed to cancer. A doctor by profession, she was full of life, brave, and one of her kind. She fought cancer bravely for over 15 years; even when she was going through excruciating pain during her many treatments, her humour was intact and all one heard from her were positive thoughts and brave words. Her last message on social media before she breathed her last breath summed up her life in simple but loud words: Gratitude, the essence of my life.

These words still ring in my mind. I realised how gratitude could actually be the solution to our array of problems. We have in this fast paced world forgotten to stop, introspect and take a moment to count our blessings. Be it career, kids, or even festivals like Diwali, we have forgotten to enjoy the spirit of the festive season. Many get overwhelmed or down at this time of year, and the main focus is on clothes, better gifts, better décor, and better Instagram pictures, and the essence of the festival itself is lost.

Over the past month, I realised how simplicity is also beautiful and a life changing mechanism. Fond of luxury travel, I often opt for a big clean bed, great views, great locations, hot pools, and more, but after I got dragged into a family trip to the Himalayas, I realised all it takes for one to be happy is simplicity! We visited various ashrams; while we were fussing about beds and clean sheets, we saw several retired admirals and members of extremely wealthy business families stay in simple two-bedroom apartments, cook, clean, and even serve guests in their kitchen. Life is beautiful if you want to make it! Simplicity and gratitude are powerful emotions that can actually change one’s life and outlook forever.There is no better time than Diwali to make these simple changes in our lives, as the very essence of Diwali lies in the sloka ‘Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya’ which means – ‘From darkness, lead me to light.’

Do enjoy reading our content- packed issue, and whether tangible or intangible, let us all pledge to acknowledge the goodness in our lives.
Have a wonderful Diwali!