I strongly believe that, "Everything happens for a reason". When I look back, I feel our life was like a high speed train, each one boarded their own seat and busy travelling from one task to other. All of a sudden the train broke down and everyone had to get back to their nest. That was the time were we experienced a range of emotions and learnt how to deal with it too. The space and time with the family was one of the best gift, my kids and me explored a variety of activities at home. We got to know each other better than anytime before. Truly knowing each other within their learning space and workspace, actually knowing each other holistically. Truly blessed moments. Similarly, I am grateful to all my collegeaus, sitting at different zones and collaborating is definitely a challenge. Here also it gave opportunity to actually become more comfortable showing vulnerability and being appreciative about how much we depend on each other and each one matters. I am grateful to the work culture where the person is valued before the work. The care and concern to ensure everyone is safe and work can wait makes one 'wanted' and 'loved' in the family. I am always blessed to be a part of such a school which is is my family. I believe this phase has actually helped each one know, care, love and understand each other and made us think what is that we are running for? Where are we leading to? We actually took a pause and now appreciate what are we blessed with. I now wish we get back to our routine but this time it won't be the previous routine, we will be able to be more compassionate and appreciate everything around us.

I am grateful for opportunities that I never would have taken advantage of including making time for meditation, exercise and taking time to watch leaves fall off of trees.

I was happy to see my daughter take on cooking meals and how she excelled in it as a direct form of self care.

I am most grateful for this life and those sharing it with me. The opportunity to live with my adult children again was an unexpected joy. Im especially grateful to the trees, our COVID kittens, and my yoga practice which has sustained me.

I am grateful for a friend who inspired and helped me move in order to be closer to loved ones.

I am thankful for the opportunity to lean into my relationship with my partner during the pandemic. We were doing distance for 2 years, and the week the border closed in 2020, I happened to be visiting him in Toronto. I decided to stay with him and work remotely full-time. It gave us the opportunity we never had to be around each other so much, and it allowed us to grow together. We got married October 2020, and I've been in the process of immigrating to Canada to live with him over the last year. I'm so thankful for all of the support that he has offered throughout all of the waves that come with immigrating to a new country during a global pandemic and being away from my family and friends back in the states.

I am so grateful for the relationships that have strengthened through the pandemic and the whirlwind of events that came during this time. Being able to step back, connect and appreciate those in my life in big and small ways. I have to mention how grateful I am for the work around the Compassionate Systems Framework and experiencing the impact of having a contemplative practice. Life changing!

I’m grateful for the time I was able to spend with my kids. I lost my vibrant grandfather due to Covid, and it’s been a painful reminder of how fragile life truly is.

COVID-19 has truly made me appreciate the importance of mindfulness and the power of pausing. It has taught me to be comfortable with myself more, and provided me a lot of space for meaningful self-reflection, self-love, and self-care. I learnt to appreciate people/experiences/materialistic pleasure that I had once taken for granted , more intentionally and with gratitude.

I consciously began to prioritize emotional and spiritual development more, as it forms the basic essence of life. I wouldn't have been able to survive those tough times without these core pillars of support and stability.

I've learned to be more humble, grounded, and compassionate as I realize "change" is inevitable and as to how a global disaster like COVID-19 spares none irrespective of their religion, caste, creed, ethnicity, or social status. I notice that to help or donate requires noble intentions and the willingness to share and care, and not just financial prowess.

I have been deeply influenced by spiritual leaders such as the Dalai Lama and Eckhart Toelle, and by random acts of kindness by people whom I've met co-incidentally during times of COVID isolation. And, in the end, I strongly believe that humanity is core to our existence and collective consciousness is the best way to forge ahead for a better, compassionate world

I am thankful for creativity. These limitations and restrictions have provided us with so many opportunities to explore the different ways we can do things. “I am thankful for technology that has allowed me to stay connected to my students feeling always connected to them , family and friends!”I decided to express my gratitude thanking god before going to bed. I said sorry for whom I have hurt knowingly and unknowingly. Thanks to every person who helps me to be strong and help me comeout of anxirty and stress. It helps me put things in perspective and makes me realise that in the scheme of things, my life’s pretty good. It’s really grounding and makes me feel calmer and more optimistic. I am lucky that god has kept me and my family hale and hearty.

I am most grateful for the flattening that has happened through widespread adoption of video conferencing platforms. Not having to travel 6+ hours to attend a half-day meeting means I have had the opportunity to take part in opportunities in ways where I felt more included (because everyone attended through the same means) than had I had to take a day (or more) off and drive to attend or had been one of only a few people participating remotely. I also never would have had the opportunity to get to work with people all over the world as I have through this pandemic. I hope we can keep this option viable as we return to in-person get togethers.

I experienced a lot of personal growth during this pandemic year. It exposed some of my strengths and weaknesses when facing uncontrollable situations like this one and gave me the opportunity to address and work on them. I know that I will use these new tools in the future when dealing with adverse situations. What's life without challenges and 'em curveballs, eh?!