Full Circle Moments, Impermanence and Gratitude

2025 has moved swiftly and quietly. The year began with a sense of openness and curiosity, and now we are nearing its end, looking back at all that unfolded. It has been a year of deep learning, subtle shifts and a growing sense of gratitude. That gratitude has become a steady practice for me. It reminds me that health, stability, family, belonging and purpose are gifts to be acknowledged with presence and care.

This theme of presence continued during our travels earlier in the year. On our way to India, we spent a few days in Singapore. There is something meaningful about walking through a place that is not home. The senses wake up in a different way. New food, new language, new pace. In those moments, I felt a quiet connection with the world. Not as a tourist collecting sights, but as a human being recognizing that we are not separate from anyone or anything.

That awareness deepened during our flight when weather conditions led to an aborted landing. The pilot circled, then calmly shared that we had fuel for one final attempt and that he would divert to a nearby Indonesian airport to increase our chances. For a brief moment, everything felt still. Fear arose, but so did clarity. I felt grateful simply to be with the people I love. When we eventually landed safely, normal life resumed as if nothing had happened. The moment passed, yet its lesson stayed.

Later in the year, another journey took me back to my alma mater after two decades. Walking those familiar pathways felt both warm and distant. I was not returning as a student but as someone who has lived a full chapter since. I moved through the campus as if guiding my future children through a possibility, even though that stage of life is still years away. The experience brought a mix of nostalgia and perspective.

Returning to Washington, D.C. brought another layer of reflection. I had lived there at the age of twenty one, newly away from home and learning to care for myself in a new country. My first year in the United States had been structured through a dorm life in Iowa. Washington D.C. was the beginning of true independence. My uncle helped me find a small studio apartment, and suddenly every detail of daily living was mine to figure out. Groceries, cooking, budgeting, navigating loneliness and building confidence one day at a time.

During that time, I entered a biotechnology program at Georgetown. My academic background in India had been in arts and commerce. Yet the American education system offered flexibility and a chance to pivot toward something new. Without the wealth of online support we rely on today, building the scientific foundation required long hours, persistence and trust in the process. Over time, the lab became a place of curiosity and exploration. Experiments often felt like cooking, as the protocols resembled detailed recipes. I discovered that uncertainty could be a space of learning rather than fear.

Life unfolded through many chapters after that. I returned to India and briefly joined the family business, but it never felt like a true fit. I later got married, moved to the West Coast, and eventually found myself deeply drawn to Ayurveda. Or perhaps Ayurveda reached me at a time when I was ready to listen.

Revisiting Georgetown this year brought a feeling of completion. What once felt overwhelming now felt gentle. When my daughter looked around thoughtfully and said she might consider studying there one day, it felt like a quiet full circle moment.

This awareness of time continued through family visits in India. Time with parents, aunts, uncles and elders carried joy and tenderness. It also carried the understanding that these moments do not repeat in the same way. Every conversation, every shared meal and every gathering felt like a gift in its own time. When my uncle fell seriously ill and later passed away, and when my father had a minor fall, the reminders were clear. Life keeps moving. Roles change. We step into responsibility gradually, often without noticing.

Through all of this, gratitude stayed close. I am grateful for health, for family, for friend, for the communities I belong to and for the journey Ayurveda continues to shape for me. This work feels aligned with something deep within. Guiding others in their healing has also been an experience of my own healing. The exchange is mutual. It reminds me that growth and support flow both ways.

As this year comes to a close, I invite you to pause for a moment of reflection. Notice the simple blessings around you. Your breath. A warm meal. The presence of someone you love. The comfort of a familiar space. The courage it took to grow this year in your own way.

May the coming year bring steadiness, meaning, joy and connection. May we recognize what is precious while it is here.

Wishing you a gentle and wholehearted New Year.