A Whisper of Gratitude

Dedicated to the ones who crossed paths with us for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

Apr 08, 2025

I have been thinking a lot about life's journey lately. They say you come here alone and leave alone. In the long journey between these two events (which all of us reading this are lucky to have), we experience what it’s like to be human. We make mistakes. We fall. We learn to get back up and make things fall into place. We fall again and the cycle continues. The best part is, we don’t do this alone. Who we are right now is not just defined by our actions and hard work. Every person we cross paths with for a reason, a season or a lifetime shapes us. The world moves fast and in an effort to catch up with it, we forget to express gratitude for the ones who led us here.

We may not be here seeing the world with our unique perspective if it wasn’t for them.

We may not be sitting behind a laptop screen and claiming on the internet that “yes, dreams do come true” if it wasn’t for them.

We may not have had the courage to show up as our authentic selves, especially on days when we doubted our own abilities if it wasn’t for them.

Let’s all spare a moment and express gratitude for the support we’ve received so far in life, even from the ones who only showed up for a season. Let us thank them for standing up for us when we couldn’t stand up for ourselves.

And for believing in us when we couldn't see our own potential.

Here’s a sneak peak of my list from a recent journal entry, dedicated to the ones who shaped me..

My economics professor at University, who went above and beyond to help me get my first article about stock market bubbles published in a journal. He was the first person to make me believe that my writing could be of value to this world. (The reason you are reading this newsletter today.)
A co-worker at my first corporate job at 21, who taught me everything about giving sales pitches to big restaurant owners (with confidence), when everyone else questioned if I had the skill set to perform the role, being the youngest one in the office.
A random stranger who once opened a door for me. I was so inspired by her kindness that I decided to do it for others as well.
A cab driver who once told me that his biggest priority in life was to fund his daughter's education. He was so happy that I was chasing my dreams. It made me realise that the opportunities that come naturally to us may be a luxury in someone else’s life.
My best friend, who was at my doorstep with four different flavours of ice cream the day I experienced my first big failure in life. She showed me that friendship is about showing up with love and care in good times as well as bad times.

Pause at this moment and think about the people who shaped you. Comment down your list below. I’ll be happy to read and respond to every single one of you.

THIS WEEK’s RECOMMENDATIONS

I was inspired by some female writers whose communities I have been a part of for quite some time now. If you are in search of some peace and comfort, do check out these newsletters.

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