Counting my countless blessings!

I am sixty plus and blessed with a reasonably good life so far. It is interesting to sit and reflect, how I was moulded by the people around me.

I was born in a middle class family in Madurai as the elder daughter of two girls.
My mother, as for most of us, was my ideal. She was & continues to be very good looking. I have always had a regret that I have not inherited her looks! She is a great cook and was very good at tailoring and all types of embroidery and handwork. She kept the house spick and span and dinned into me and my sister her mantra:
A place for everything
And
Everything in its place!
It was from her that I learnt the art of “human relationship”.

My father was a famous surgeon. He died when I was 29. He was a very methodical and a highly organized person. He was a stickler for perfection in everything he undertook.
In fact my mother says that I have taken after him for the obsession for perfection and commitment. My husband says, it is my strength as well as weakness because I carry it to extremes! Living with me for many years, he, perhaps, judges me right!

After marriage, my mother-in-law made me realize the value of self-discipline in all circumstances. She used to say that you should never let yourself go! It was from her that I learnt the habit of getting up early in the morning. Thus, I find time for everything that I want to do and a well planned day is very enjoyable.

My children are my greatest assets. My daughter is my source of strength. She is into social investments and it is fascinating to see how worldly wise, my little girl has become now. I am very fond of my daughter-in-law and tell her, if ever she needs the help of a dear friend, I am just a phone call away. I never make the mistake of asking her to think of me as her mother, since I personally feel there can be no substitute for a biological mother.

I have adorable grandchildren. My grand daughters are my good friends and till today, tease me about my old fashioned dress sense.

I am blessed with a set of good, very close friends! The eldest of them is 15 years older than me and the youngest is younger than my grand daughter. I can very well relate with every one of them, but never take any friendship for granted. I work my best to cherish them.

My husband is a perfect gentleman in every way. By nature, he is a loner & hardly communicates with me! Deafening silence rules our home, the whole day! Over a period of time, I have learnt to live with it and in fact I have started enjoying my own company, if there is such a term. I have learnt to live in the spaces between my thoughts. Probably that explains my enthusiastic interactions with all of you in this forum, which is slowly becoming my second home. He is highly self-willed, stubborn by nature and always a “hard nut to crack”. I have realized in life “ vittu koduppathilum oru sukam irukkirathu!” Of course, let me admit frankly that sometimes I also do “chinna meenai pottu periya meenai izukkirathu”! But he has always given me the right amount of freedom & never questions me on my decisions. Also I cannot help mentioning that he is the most integral part of my life.

My Vedanta classes have opened up new dimensions in my life. I accept that we reap what we sow. This takes care of our thoughts and actions. I am also realizing that we have to accept situations and people as they are. We cannot change them, but we can change our attitude to them.

Change what you can
Accept what you cannot!

I now have begun to think that every year in my life is a bonus for me. Looking back, I have no regrets for God has been kind to me. I can confidently say that I have no major unfulfilled ambitions in life. The rest of my life, I just pray God to give me good health & mental stamina to flow with the tide.

Love,
Chithra.

 

it is embarassing to me if you say I am great-----!
Experience is not necessary to write down, Manju!! Just make an attempt, 'religiously" (!) without giving up!! Believe me, in all my life of 60+ years, my blogs in IL are my first 'expressions', call them 'writings'!!
Love,
Chithra.

 

sister-)), yor word "great" is, asthough, placing a BIG responsibilty on me!! I have my share of faults & negative qualities, which i just did'nt mention here!!:biggrin2:
You must all come home & talk to
Mr Spouse!!:biglaugh
Love,
Chithra.

 

blogger, I can only say
Thankyou God!
Married to a loner like V, contentment with whatever I was blessed with, had to be developed by me choicelessly! Anyway, no regrets!!
Love,
Chithra.

 

between loneliness & solitude. I avoid the former & indulge in the latter!:-D
Learning to enjoy your own company can be one of the greatest pleasures in life. After all, this is the one relationship that you're going to have for your entire life. Taking plenty of opportunities to indulge in some 'me' time not only keeps the loneliness at bay, but will also help you to learn to love yourself, making you a more interesting person to spend time with.Thanks, Saras.
Love,
Chithra.