Many years ago when I was going through yet another rough patch and was surrounded by negativity, I made a conscious decision to remind myself every day about the things that I had that I was thankful about. This has helped me tremendously over the years to focus on the blessings that I have and to keep me from becoming bitter or even disillusioned. In hindsight, all the trails and difficulties have helped me appreciate people and things that I would not have appreciated otherwise or worse still, would have taken for granted.
As I enter into a new year today, I am grateful for the gift of yet another year; for the many blessings God has showered me with; for the wonderful and loving friends that enrich my life and of course for my adorable crazy puppy Jaden. Since I can’t write about all these blessings in more detail in one post, my blog today is about three things that I am especially thankful for today.
Every year on this day I am reminded of the story of my birth that I have heard time and again. My mother had an accident and fell when she was carrying me which meant that I wasn’t in the best of birthing positions when I entered the world. Due to a lack of oxygen, I came into this world very blue and black in the face with swollen lips and crinkly hair. My mother told me often later that she was quite shocked with the ugly baby girl that she held in her hands (a total contrast to my older brother who was a beautiful, pink, healthy baby with adorable dimples). She remembers feeling sorry for me because it meant that I would have a difficult life since I was not beautiful and fair (in the country of my birth, the color of ones skin is important especially for girls!). My mother has always called a spade a spade, never minced her words and did not believe in letting me live with any illusions about my looks :).

I was a pretty lost and complicated little girl who grew into an obese, acne ridden and difficult teenager. I was constantly reminded that I was not sporty, talented, intelligent, beautiful or even remotely attractive in any way and was always compared to others who were all obviously better than me. As a young girl, there were many nights that I begged God to do a miracle and make me fair, beautiful, intelligent and slim. Am I glad God did not answer my prayer the way I wanted Him to!! As I have mentioned in an earlier post, I realised early in my life that I needed to focus on my education and on becoming independent, so that I didn’t “need a man to take care of me” (as most girls then were groomed to believe). I am thankful today that I was not blessed with an external beauty which might have made me vain and superficial. It might have made me insensitive to those that do not conform to worldly standards of beauty and might have blinded me to what matters the most – an inner beauty of character that is timeless and worth so much more. I am thankful that God taught me not to judge people by appearances but to look deeper and see the beauty within. On a lighter note, the fact that I never had a great body or skin has helped me to accept the ravages of time and age. It has spared me the emotional struggles that I see many women going through, women who counted on their external beauty to get them what they want and now suddenly don’t have it anymore. And so I thank God especially on my birthday that I was not “the beautiful girl child” who might have had a much easier and popular life; I thank Him for using me to reach out, fight for and protect women who have gone through much pain because they were bullied or belittled; I thank Him for giving me eyes to see beauty where others may not see it; to encourage and appreciate where He wants me to; for the unique plan He has for my life and for the fact that He is constantly working on me to make me the woman He wants me to be.
24 years have passed since the last time I spent my birthday with him (with the exception of one birthday that I spent with him a few years ago). I left for Europe in 1992 and not a single birthday has gone by without my waking up in the morning, missing his presence and remembering how he made it a point to be there on this day even after he had left home. And every birthday morning I am thankful for Elmer – an amazing brother, my most loyal supporter, my advisor, my shelter-in-the-storm, someone who has and always will be there for me.
And so today I am thankful that Bernd and I will be celebrating my birthday this evening with two very special people – my lovely “little sister” Nina and her husband Prem. As I have written in an earlier post, Nina is a very dear sister and friend. This is also a very special occasion because the last time I celebrated my birthday with her was 24 years ago! I am so thankful for her today – for her love, her support, her encouragement, for being there for me as a friend, as a praying partner and above all for the joy and laughter she brings in my life! Waiting to see you this evening Nina and to get that special Nina-hug-and-cuddle!
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