Gratitude in the Little Things

Recently, I reconnected with an old friend. We caught up on so many things—life, work, goals—and like most people our age, the conversation naturally drifted toward grown-up stuff: buying a house, upgrading our lifestyle, and everything in between. We talked for about an hour or so, and somewhere in that conversation, a quiet realization crept in--how often we lose touch with our past.

I shared with her a memory from our undergrad days in Kathmandu. Since I was away from home for school, I stayed in a private girls’ hostel. One of the biggest challenges we faced back then was something as basic as clean water. The underground (boring) water in our area was yellow and smelly, and honestly, I’m not even sure it was good for anything—but we still used it for washing dishes and doing laundry. Drinking or bathing with it was entirely out of the question. Taking a shower with clean water felt like a rare luxury then.

Everyone in my hostel had their own bucket, ready to fill up on the rare day clean water was available. I had a red Bagmati bucket. My Nepalese readers who lived in Kathmandu can relate to some of this. Do you all remember the famous Bagmati brand? But really, how long could a single bucket of water last for all your needs? I remember asking the kitchen staff for just one bucket of clean water so I could bathe. One bucket! And bless them, they always spared it when they could.

I even remember one particular weekend when I had a trip planned with some friends. There was no clean water available for bathing, and I was desperate. So, I walked to a nearby shop and bought two jars of clean water—just so I could freshen up and get ready for the trip the next morning. Still the best use of Rs. 50- if I think about it!

Fast forward to today—I shower with clean water every single day. Hot or cold, available 24/7 at the twist of a knob. And that’s something I never want to take for granted. It might seem like a small thing in the grand scheme of life, but that simple memory of once not having access to clean water keeps me grounded. I may not think about it daily, but when I do, I pause and feel deeply grateful. Grateful for clean water and the ease and comfort it brings to my daily life.

It’s so easy to get caught up in what we don’t have or where we want to be next. But every now and then, it’s worth pausing to ask ourselves: What do I have today that I once didn’t? Gratitude doesn’t always come naturally, but perspective helps. And for me, looking back on those simple struggles gives me a very real reason to be thankful for the life I live today.

So, here’s a gentle reminder: whenever you get a chance, take a moment to reflect. Think about the things you might be taking for granted today—because chances are, they’re things you once hoped for.

That’s all for today. Thanks for stopping by.

For now, signing off with a grateful heart!

See you in the next blog post 😊