“It is not the length of life, but depth of life.”~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
In Pune, India, where i reside there is the growing threat of the H1N1 Virus. Pune seems to have become the epicenter of the outbreak for this particular deadly virus. My daughter and I haven’t left the house for nearly 2 weeks now, because children are more prone to contracting the virus. So have kept my little one busy at home and since i have a home office its OK. But my hubby has to wear the mask to leave the house and in crowded places. The death toll has been rising everyday since the outbreak about a week and a half ago.
In the wake of this epidemic and death at such close proximity, i have been forced to reevaluate my life. Its not like i haven’t seen death up close; in fact my father passed away early on in life and then my younger brother in a car accident in the peak of his youth. So, death doesn’t scare me, in the ‘oh God I’m going to die’ sense…I have come to terms with Gods plan, and don’t question his decisions. I know all those who do pass away go to better place and soon we all have to go there too.
I used to think i was living one day at a time..and making the most of life. But when i sit to reassess my life today; yes, I am living one day at a time, but i am living for myself…and taking all the credit, that life taught me blah blah….But, in reality its not Life that teaches you, its the people you meet in your life that do.
After that reality struck me, i went on a connecting frenzy. I managed to call all my near and dear friends and relatives, just to say hi and catch up. Some whom i hadn’t talked with in months. After the whole 3 day marathon of talking and emailing, i was feeling pretty good with myself. I felt all these people needed to be acknowledged and thanked for their contribution to making me the way i am and to helping me get here.
And then another conscience call hit me{this conscience has a way of creeping up on you suddenly!!}…What about all those people who you are not in touch with?? The teacher from 3rd Grade who helped you when that Fat bully Guy was harassing you or the bus driver who took you for an extra round when you were a sobby 10yr old just so that you could find your stop or the nurse who helped you go to the bathroom after your C-section. Also, What about all those who did genuinely hurt you all through your life? The rude and nasty people you have come across, in their nastiness i did end up learning as well. I learned the ways of the world. I have to give them that credit isnt it??
Now my dilemma is this, I want to acknowledge these people for being a part of my life and teaching me…but how do i go about doing it?? Thank the Lord for the internet, i found quite a few of them. Yes, even my teacher and even that bully who is now not such a bully. I did connect with them…had a heart to heart and felt good..and surprisingly made a friend out of the bully-turned-good guy.
I am not connecting with these people to tell them things like…’ there’s an epidemic and i am scared’, cause i truly wasn’t….. I am connecting with them cause i have realized that these are the people who have enhanced and added depth to the quality of my life and i just needed to thank them for it.
Every person you meet teaches you something about yourself you never knew before. Whether good or bad. This weird scare of an epidemic knocked some sense into me and made me take these steps to enhance my life even further. I also realized that in living one day at a time, if i am not thanking the people i meet today for their contribution to my life, I am surely going to regret it on my death bed or when i am truly Gone to the Lord.
So, from today onwards irrespective of the experience good or bad, irrespective of the person kind or nasty, I am going to be truly thankful to them all. Milkman, postman, cleaning lady, supermarket attendant, watchman, tailor, neighbor, driver, the mean neighbor who play the loudest music at 3a.m. everybody. Just one smile and Thank you. Just say thank you and mean it from the bottom of your heart…you know why you’re thanking them. You don’t have to give them the explanation.
This is what i have done to enhance my life today.
“I shall journey through this world but once. Any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show any human being, let me do it now; Let me not neglect or defer it, for I shall not pass this way again.”~Jerry Lewis
Have you already enhanced you life with the virtue of Thank You? Or do you have another way of adding depth to your life? Please do share in the comment. Would love to know how else i can add depth to my life.
Also, I request you to please say a prayer for all the people who are suffering H1N1 virus and for those who arent as well so that they may remain safe.
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*Positive Provocations* 
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Zennat,
I will include you and your family in my prayers and the end of this horrible epidemic.
I think you are very courageous and you are doing what means most to us all showing gratitude and appreciation to those who have made a impression on us.
Stay safe and busy –
Bless you
Bunny, Thanks for your prayers. The scare of the virus is taking the shape of pandemonium here…so we are just keeping our fingers crossed.
I’ve always believed in telling your family, friends and people you meet along the path of life, how important they are to you.
Welcome Ingeborg, Glad you could stop by and leave your valuable comment. Always appreciate it. And how nice we both think alike now.
Zeenat, I am so happy about the connections and conversations you are making. They make your life rich. To contact an old bully requires quite a lot of courage. Cheers to you.
I heard about increasing swine deaths in Mumbai & Pune. Will pray for all of you. May god bless you.
Thanks Avani, We really do need a lot of prayers to get over this crisis.
As for the connections i am making are all my gain…its a lot of hard work on the psyche….but it is worth it.
Gosh I had a similar thought a few months ago for different reasons. I wanted to tell everyone – good, bad and indifferent – that I was grateful for the role they played in my life. I didn’t follow through physically – just energetically… You’ve inspired me!
I’m also inspired by your ability to stay housebound for two weeks and sound so absolutely upbeat. I cannot imagine what you’re going through, but you give courage to all of us through your actions. We are one – so when you’re brave, we’re brave.
Positive energy, prayers for protection and love are headed your way.
Be well, and thank you for what you do and share!
Thanks a million Megan. Your prayers will be immensely helpful.
As for following through on the ‘thank yous’ physically….go do it>>.really its feels great.
And your comments are always so encouraging….you realy do have an ability to make people feel good!
Hope you come and visit my little blog soon.
Zeenat, this was a wonderful and heartfelt article. I like the way Richard Carlson puts it. “Live this day as if it were your last. It might be!”
What are people going to do if they knew they were going to die in a day? They would contact people and tell them how much they loved them.
Stephen, Glad you liked the article. It did take a lot of courage on my part to do the “thank yous “physically….but writing about it and sharing it with you all…made it an experience in itself.
Bring greater amount of thankfulness and gratitude into life definitely brings a lot of happiness, contentment and bliss in our heart. Besides that, meditating on a regular basis also helps a lot to clear the mind from negativites and conditionings. It is the best way to add depth to your life.
Hi Vijay, Thanks for the great suggestion. I do meditate once in awhile, but now since you reminded me, i will try to do it more often.
Glad you could stop by and lend your valuable comments. Appreciate it.
With your attitude of gratitude all will be well with you! I so agree with you that everyone we meet in life is a teacher – just as we are teachers to others. Some of the greatest lessons I learned came from my children – whoda thunk it?
Suzen,
I love the way you rhyme attitude with gratitude…sounds and feels super! Thanks.
I don’t know if i am a good enough teacher to anybody though;)
But as for children teaching us..i agree with you on that completely. In 2.5 yrs of being a mommy i have learnt loads…and there’s only going to be more where that comes from..;)
Hi Zeenat, I’m learning to love your blog with every post you create. It’s curious how death makes life seems so precious, that we really had to do something with it, perhaps that’s a reason why God allows death.
I am so honored that you are loving my blog.
It is true…death has a way of knocking some sense into us ….but i am glad i made this decision today…God willing in years to come i wont have any regrets.
Love your comments. Always appreciate it.
Hi Zeenat,
Back in April, I went through something similar – as I took some time to really think about my life, and all the wonderful people who had played a role. And today, I’m thinking about this again as I read your post – but with a slightly different angle. I should focus on making gratitude a bigger part of my everyday life – not just one-time events. And that’s a good thing for me to hear. Thank you, my friend.
And know that prayers are being offered up…