A couple of weeks ago I introduced Anaiya and Jaanu to the idea of flipbooks. We did a basketball bouncing from one end of the page to the other. Then we added clouds. The birds flying across the top and into the distance.
It was garbage.
But it was still fun to watch their eyes light up with the motion that basic 1st grade level animation created.
Storytelling is powerful. If a word is the basic unit of thought, and a picture is 1,000 of those units, well, pictures in motion are some exponential function.
But the narrative that binds them is what makes them meaningful. Those units get worth and value from the context, order, narrative.
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful I saw this flip book. It hooks you. It makes you stop. It gives an analogue (matches as dominoes for a spreading virus).
And then the match gets a butt and you’re like “wait wha?”
I’ve been lucky enough to write and publish a few stories that are deeply meaningful to me.
In doing so, I’ve been able to celebrate some ideas in a way that I believe makes the kids who read them curious, empathetic, and maybe most importantly … feel equipped to bring about change in the world.
My dream. My side hustle. It’s a modest endeavor but on a day like today it really lifts my spirits.
I want to thank the amazing Story Time with Mr. Limata for featuring Today’s the Day this week, of all weeks, when covering the topic of childhood friendship. The story covers bullying too (fits the times) and also pediatric cancer.
It’s more than a true story, too. It’s more than one true story.
It’s three. Interwoven. That was my contribution. Bringing the stories together.
In some ways this is my favorite story.
Because it brings together the lives of three girls who I think the world of. I want to thank Erin QuinnLeena Patel for letting me write a story about their girls.
And I want to thank Reshma Shah for allowing me to tell a story of this amazing little girl who changed my life. Our family’s lives.
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for being a part of this. I am also just ridiculously moved right now.
I had a post I wanted to share today. It’s my one year anniversary at this gig. So much to share on that.
But after the day we’ve all had, I thought I’d go with this instead.
Hugs and kisses folks.
Every weekday morning, our routine at home is the same. I bounce between the kids rooms and wake them up slowly. Jaanu wakes up first. Always. He pops up. I give Anaiya her second nudge and come back to him. We change. And then, his first move … is this. Straight to his sis.
These photos and videos are from Monday and today.
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for this. This love. This little boy with this ability to set this tone for his day, his sister’s day and frankly, mine.
We need this today. And when you wake up in the morning, out of this bad dream we experienced today, close your eyes for a moment and imagine Jaanu walking into your room and bringing you into the day this way too.
I found myself drinking a lot of coffee a year ago. Mindlessly. However much I’d make I’d drink. And often that would be 32-3r ounces pressed in my Bodum.
I love my coffee.
Like Billy Joel said, “as dark as night (night night night night)”.
But making it mindlessly allowed me to drink it mindlessly.
So I gave it up for all intents and purposes on my birthday. I had it. Maybe once every week or two. But not 32-34 ounces daily.
As winter hit I found myself needing a warm cuppa but tea, even the magical MUD\WTR, wasn’t good enough.
So I evolved my coffee game. Bought a beautiful manual mill from Skerton. Just the crank dials you into what you’re making. I wanted something that would make me aware of what I was consuming.
Then, a smaller volume but slightly more complex press from Bodum. Having to lock it, and flip the spout open as you pour, all things that slowed down my coffee making today.
Which ended up slowing down my coffee drinking as well.
It was also the best cup I’ve made. Partially the process, but we know, also the effort and experience.
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for slower, more deliberate coffee in the morning. I don’t see nothing wrong, with a little buzz and grind.
Some friends have an email that read going back about 15 years. On one topic.
The Karate Kid.
No joke.
One thread. Same subject line. (Edit: Subjext line has changed a few times but the thread remains!)
Just stacks of back and forth all about the Karate Kid. It’s funny. It’s also kind of impressive. We’re all fans at different levels. But one of us took it to new heights. With Cobra Kai being filmed in Atlanta, his hometown, well, he found his way into a cast party and into a cameo in Season 3.
I just wrapped up the episode and there he was. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Daniel-san. IT WAS AWESOME!!
Linh Tran is a good guy (hell, when I think of the tree he and his family planted for my Dad … I’ll tell you, good doesn’t cover it). No matter where he goes, he knows. And he does it all in the nicest possible way. That’s what makes it awesome. He’s just a good guy.
Anaiya’s class, for their holiday party, did a few things: made a pipe cleaner and beaded snowflake, played Mad Libs with Frosty the Snowman, welcomed a new classmate before he formally joined.
And time permitting, each 1st grader got an envelope, addressed and stamped, with a coloring page of a medical staff member or administrator. Each kid was asked to color it, write some notes on it, and send drop it in their mailbox.
Anaiya did that today with gusto and then some. She even let me color a few parts (the heart, the sleeves, the shoes, one pant leg — after she drew on pockets that were missing because per her absolute insistence, doctors need pockets!)
The coloring is perfect. Every color for a reason. Then the messages scattered around the paper celebrating their awesomeness.
And clarity on the envelope. Who it’s from. Who it’s for.
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful that even on such a simple exercise Anaiya leaned in. She wanted to make this beautiful. And when I even told her she could wrap up for the next activity, well, she wouldn’t have it.
“I have to put my name everywhere so they know who is saying thank you. I want them to know I think they’re awesome.”
That’s it. That’s all. That’s the post.
My daughter. Saying thanks. Spreading love. Signing ‘graphs.(All while educating me on a My Little Pony soundtrack. Rainbow Rocks is a solid soundtrack and Shine Like Rainbows deserves a f*cking Grammy already.)
I’ve fond memories of my Dad coming home from work and retreating to his room for 15-20 minutes every night. Door locked. Something from channel 6 on TV (news, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune).
And I’d hear footsteps. Like someone jogging in place. Sometimes I’d have a question that couldn’t wait and I’d have to knock on his door. Or he’d have a phone call that couldn’t wait (it definitely couldn’t, there was literally no call waiting at the time).He’d run over to the door and open it. Working out in his room. Still jogging in place. While answering me or taking that call.Trying to be healthy in the space he could make.
Dad never spent money on himself. No treadmill, bike, anything. Every time someone tried to get him something he made them return it. Between work, commuting, coming home and spending two hours with his mom, my ba, who couldn’t walk, in her room. Years of this right routine.
He worked out in a 2’ x 4.5’ strip of carpet between his side of the bed and his dresser.
Daddy lived to 77 because he made space for himself. So he could make himself available then to everyone else who needed him.
And it worked.
My life is different. I work from home. I’m not as modest in spending on what I need. The financial and social and familial pressures are much less than what he faced.
But I’m still not as good at making time to exercise.
I’m better at excuses.
Today I found myself doing what a modern day version of my dad at 45 may have done or atleast approved of. A 2.0.Treadmill.Workstation.And Cobra Kai.
That last one is super important.
My dad took me to see Karate Kid on a Sunday night because I just had to go see it.
After a Sunday workout by his bed. Skipping his Sunday night tennis. He took the little space he had and then made space for me. He skipped his own weekly tennis indulgence and made space for me.
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for this lesson clicking. Some 30+ years later. Sparked by my home setup. Which took me down a wormhole of memories, bringing me out to another unique layer of respect and appreciation for my Daddy.
That’s the power of teaching lessons with your actions. The lessons still get taught. People don’t always remember being taught them. You acted well, Dad. Impeccably always.
It appears I may have picked something up. Finally.
About 18 months ago I purchased a set of mindfulness activities and games for the kids. To help them name their emotions. We’ve tried a few times since to work through them and all have failed miserably. Until today.
Where we had a 30 minute discussion on forgiveness, which then moved into discussion a number of emotions ranging from pleasant and high energy through to unpleasant and low energy.
We were floored. Brought to tears as Anaiya and Jaanu talked about their moments of anger and calm (what Jaanu was feeling when we were taking); or determined (what Anaiya was feeling) and jealous (something Anaiya says she has never felt but then expressed what she feels instead).
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for the mindfulness exercise to work through the first day of this year. It was beautiful. And I’ve never been more proud or honored to be their dad.
On the first day after a year where I felt I got so much wrong, this reminded me I got something right.
I’ve tried to post this a few times today and kept hitting glitches.
Anyway, it’s been a hell of a year. So when I was asked to Talk and Toast at our Holiday Party on Friday (with less than 24 hours notice) I leaned on some things that have gotten me through similar experiences in the past (speaking, audience, meaningful environment).
1) Think about what questions the people listening to you may be asking themselves.
2) Say honest things that make you feel powerful emotions first; because they will feel it the same.
3) Always, make it about them; what they’ve done, what they can do, what opportunities lie ahead.
I didn’t get to practice; so I used my favorite presentation style which ends up showcasing single images that give me a prompt upon which to riff. And when I finished; I realized I could probably share this here. Because some of you may benefit from hearing this too.
Because it’s not just a toast to our team; it’s a toast to all of us who made it through 2020. You’re beautiful people. #iamthankful and #iamgrateful for what our team took on and achieved.
#iamthankful and #iamgrateful for as hard as 2020 tried, for many of us and for most of us, 2021 is right there in front of us for the taking. And take it we shall. Together.
AG Barr just refuted our President’s claim that there is widespread voting fraud enough to change the outcome of the election.
The man appointed by the President to rubber stamp all of the President’s policies and who has spent his two years doing things like: misrepresenting the Russia investigation (whether you believe the investigation was worth it or not — I do not — he still misrepresented the final report), to giving orders to disperse peaceful demonstrations (most people don’t argue against unlawful or dangerous demonstrations by the way), to stating his own DoJ is being run by inexperienced people.
Well, this man, just said that to date, there isn’t widespread voter fraud enough to change the outcome of the election.
And you know what that means.
Which Trump loyalists will disown Barr, call his credibility into question, and continue believing our President now?.
You can hate Biden. You can detest his policies. (You can’t call him a pedophile, you can, but it’s ridiculous.) But when we lose the ability to anchor on objective truths we lose the ability to do…anything.
It’s amazing what we’ll believe, in order to keep believing what we believe.
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for those with the ability to think objectively and critically. No matter how long it takes for them to get there.
Suneet Bhatt 