The best things in life are . . . things! And I am about to list the top ten things I am grateful for!
I know I should have said moments and cherish them and I do! But let's face it - life is much better when we have all those things that make us feel comfortable and life easier. I should know!
As a child of the sixties, I grew up in a household where we did not have fans, refrigerators, mixer grinders or any of the technology we live with today. We used the traditional mortar and pestle to grind spices while taking turns to sing our favorite tunes. Any food leftovers were simply distributed to the homeless in the area. We shopped alternate days for vegetables and did not need to refrigerate anything. Even milk, curd, and all other things we absolutely needed to stock up were bought fresh and consumed on the same day. Life was all about fresh food and cooking from scratch!
There was hardly any pollution and we enjoyed the abundant fresh air. There wasn't as much traffic and we could spend plenty of time outdoors. The absence of technology seemed like a blessing!
But I would be the first to acknowledge and appreciate the fact that today, technology IS a blessing. Even though our lifestyle has changed in many ways along with our habits, we owe it to technology for making our lives more comfortable and also for helping us become more eco-friendly.
We have changed the way we did things. We no longer use the traditional grinding stone because mixer grinders came into our lives, making it so much easier to get work done.
Why all this nostalgia?
My mixer grinder needs to be replaced. This definitely prompted my unexpected trip down memory lane. It got me thinking about how much simpler life has become with technology. And I wondered: if I had to pick ten things I cannot live without, what would they be?
So, let's look at those ten things I take for granted, that make life simpler and that I am very much grateful for. I think I can't live without them or at least life would be much tougher if I didn't have them.
Top 10 things I am grateful for
1. My Mixer Grinder
First on the list of things I am grateful for is my mixer-grinder. I remember those days when I would be rushing to get ready to leave for college and my aunt would run up to me and say, "Please, quickly grind the chutney!" Fast forward to a few years later and we had a mixer grinder that took care of everything from preparing the batter for dosa-idli, vadas, chutneys, masalas to milkshakes, mousse, smoothies, juices-you name it and it is done in a jiffy. Now we simply cannot imagine life without a mixer grinder with at least three jars for various jobs.
Come to think of it, I need to shop for a new juicer mixer grinder as my faithful 15-year-old one has served its purpose and is ready to leave us. My friend recently bought a 750-watt mixer grinder called Ameo from Crompton and pestered me relentlessly over selecting one of the three 750-watt models. While 500 watts is perfectly fine, hers is a household like mine where idli-dosa-vada and making masalas from scratch are a staple hence the best mixer grinder is a 750-watt and more suitable.
2. LED ceiling lights
LED ceiling lights are absolutely the best in terms of being environmentally friendly and energy-efficient while keeping our bills down. A few months ago, we had a major electrical issue and while getting it fixed, we got a lecture from the electrician about swapping out our old tube lights to LED ceiling lights. Since then we have gradually changed all our lights and I am very happy about it. I like a brightly lit space to work in and I highly recommend LED lights for home, particularly during this time when we must work from home and need to have those lights on for longer than we used to, earlier.
While looking for bulbs online, I came across anti-bacterial bulbs. Can you believe it? LED bulbs that kill germs? Apparently India's first Anti-Bac bulb was introduced by Crompton and is completely free of UV radiation. Can't wait to tell my electrician about this!
3. Ceiling fans
My mother often teased me about how, when I entered the house, I would switch on the fan, light, and music player immediately. Yes - I love my ceiling fan because it keeps me cool and comfortable all day long. When we had to shop for a new fan last year, we were stunned at the variety available. Sure, I have a pedestal fan that I can move around but I would prefer a ceiling fan over an AC any day!
4. My spectacles
The eyes are the windows to the world but for me, my spectacles are the windows to my world - definitely one of the things I am grateful for! I was born with impaired vision and not a day goes by without me appreciating my prescription glasses. I know I take them for granted but I dread to imagine a world without them. * Shudder*
5. Laptop, smartphone, and internet
I am clubbing these together as I use them to do various common tasks - one of them being shopping online. So convenient at the best of times, I am especially grateful for my devices and the ability to connect with the world through them. I rely on these for my work and to stay connected with family and friends. When my son leaves again, I will completely depend on these to stay in touch with him. I also get my fix of entertainment thanks to my devices. Enough said? Surely belongs in the top ten list of things I am grateful for?
With the kind of unscheduled power cuts we have every day, I am truly grateful for our UPS/Inverter. Since we all now work from home, it is crucial we stay connected and that is possible because we had the sense to invest in an inverter. Also, in summer, when the power cuts are horrendous, sleep is more blissful because we can have the fan on, uninterrupted.
7. My glucometer
Yep, being a diabetic is not fun. It takes constant effort to keep blood sugar levels on track and this means always being conscious about eating healthy, taking medication on time, sleeping well, and exercising daily, monitoring blood sugar periodically and keeping doctor's appointments. Having a glucometer is important when one has diabetes, but especially so during this time, when going out is best avoided.
Also, I belong to the vulnerable population vis-à-vis the pandemic.
8. Pressure Cooker
The real queen of my kitchen is my pressure cooker. Really! I use it almost every single day. Big fuel-saver. I meal-plan quite meticulously and love that I can have a meal ready in less than an hour, big credit to the pressure cooker. Oh yes and I own not one but three! Yes, one of the things I am grateful for!
9. Refrigerator
Can you believe we bought our first refrigerator when I was 22-ish? Yes, that's true. I remember, as a child, I would ask my uncle when we'd buy a white cupboard - that's what I thought it was. In those days, refrigerators were mostly white. Fast forward a few decades, there are so many options, making this appliance an indispensable part of every household. Ours is no exception. And I must mention, especially during this time, a well-stocked fridge ensures a peaceful night's sleep.
10.My coffee-filter
Ha! What list of mine would be complete without my coffee? I am completely devoted to my coffee filter. I inherited it from my great-grandmother. Over the decades, many of my friends have threatened to buy me a modern coffee maker, but uh uh! Even if I appreciated it, I might begin my day with heating water in my brand-new electric kettle but when it comes to preparing my coffee? My beloved antique coffee filter is here to stay for as long as I live.
So that's my rather unconventional top 10 list of things I am grateful for. What is on your list of things you are grateful for?
