Let it snow!

Today was the first day I went to work after the holidays. No matter how strenuous, I always love the walk from my home to office. There are so many spots which remind me of when I was a young girl, all of 22, walking with my friends to the class. And now at 32, I am working here. That feeling in the morning is the most wholesome feeling ever. I quietly whisper to myself, "We made it Aaliyah, we did good!". 

Today was probably one of the best days I've had in ages and I will state the reasons for the same. 

1. For the past two months, the waste disposal for our entire apartment was being overlooked by the sanitary workers for some reason. I would wake up in the middle of the night the second I would hear someone drag the wheelie bin. I would rush to my window to pray that they collect all the bins today please. I know it sounds so silly, but this is a part of growing up. Making complaints, writing mails, holding the call at customer care. Come to think of it, almost all of us are involved in these little things daily. But today, when I was leaving for office, I noticed that not only our bins were out from the courtyard, but they were also CLEARED. I have no words to express how relieved I felt in that moment. It was my little victory. My countless mails and calls did have an impact. I even took a photo of the empty bins to add this day to my Google Photos so that next year if I am having a tough day, it can show me - One year ago today, you successfully managed to get rid of the piled up waste of your entire apartment. And just like that, my future life will seem so much easier. I feel that these little battles that we win on a daily basis bring true joy to life. 

2. I received a stinker mail from my second supervisor. Last two months I've spent on creating a reserach tool, which I fell in love with. It is one of my most carefully crafted pieces of work. My first supervisor called it "mostly very good" with a very few minor tweaks. She sent me a huge ass mail about so many irrelevant things. As a field researcher who has worked in the remotest parts of India, as someone who connects with her people, as someone who feels that I am going to learn from them when I ask them questions, I took offence to the tone of her mail. I looked at the shitty mail for a good ten minutes, then I asked my friend to come look at it and explain to me if it makes sense. She too felt that the choice of words were demeaning. But since it is the new year, I have decided to respond, not react. I did not reply to the mail :) I added to my tool a few points that were relevant and ignored the rest. I did good. I am proud of myself. 

3. At around 4:30 pm, when I was engrossed in my work, my friend walked up to me to tell me that it is snowing. At first I did not believe her. There was a forecast, but with snow, we rarely get it right. But somehow, today, it was right. We walked to Sainsbury's in the snow. Giggling like two little girls. Capturing the snow falling from the sky. Such pure innocent happiness just to feel snow falling from the sky on to our heads. My husband is in India now, but I had my friend to celebrate the first snow of the season with. What more could I have ever asked for. 

4. When I came back home, I saw all the bins were neatly stacked in the courtyard by some angel. I don't know who did it. But I am so grateful to them! 

5. I played Home Alone bgm as I watched snow falling from my window ❤️❤️. I kept watching how slowly and deliberately the snowflakes were falling. What a peaceful feeling to watch them slowly floating in air. I felt a sense of peace, joy, and happiness blanket over me. 

Hence, I am declaring 8 January as my personal miracle day ❤️❤️. 

Joyful, (cause joy feels better than being in love today)

Aaliyah