I was tempted to start the post with the most common line seen on all Thanksgiving 2020 posts “It has been a strange and difficult year”. There is no denying it. It was not just a strange and difficult year, it has shaped up to be a year that will go down in the books for generations.

This year I am thankful for all the usual things: family, friends, food, opportunities and health. I am extra thankful for human resilience and dreams. Extra grateful for silence and technology.

Technology

Try social distancing, lockdowns and school shutdowns without reliable internet and devices. I carry with me the privilege of getting high speed internet and the latest gadgets in the market. Oh my! How far and yet how near am I to Chennai…

Silence

Silence is probably the most underrated gift. We rarely give ourselves space to feel and experience silence. I am so glad that in some ways I was forced to remove myself from the noises around me and hear myself better. I discovered a version of me that was too scared to come out in those moments of silence.

Dreams

What is life without dreams and hope… 2020 especially. As I canceled plan after plan, dreams and hope kept me going. They became my lifelines. I clung to them shamelessly and pursued them with passion. They made me forget the world outside and that is a victory itself.

Human Resilience

If there is something to be celebrated it is the power of human resilience. We have in many ways outdid ourselves. Together, we adapted to a different world. We clapped and cheered and wore our masks. We pivoted and shifted priorities – at home, at work and everywhere.

I hope we continue to build on this resilience as we fight not just Covid but systemic issues like racism and gender discrimination.