Digging into the archives from two years ago — this one still makes me smile. A story about Anna, and a question that took an unexpectedly deep turn. Resharing it here with a few small edits. Hope you enjoy it!

My colleague & friend, Anna, is always sleep deprived and forever complaining. Last month, when she shifted to her new apartment, guess what did I gift her as her House warming gift? Blackout Curtains and you know what, she is eternally grateful to me beyond words!

You may laugh but its true……its been on numerous occasions that I had to deal with grumpy Anna every Monday morning, because tiny rays of light in her room post dawn won’t let her enjoy her precious weekend sleep!

One casual observation by a friend, one gift, one solution. That’s all it took.

Those who have insomnia or bad sleeping patterns can understand and empathize with Anna’s pain, but for others, it is no big deal, isn’t it! In a dark room, one ray of light can bother someone so much! Wondering, where I am going with this…

Okay, think about this – If ”Light” is absence of ”Darkness”, then,

ABSENCE OF WHAT IS LIFE?

If we can find an answer to that, it may help us live a Fulfilling Life…Lets try!

IS ABSENCE OF DEATH = LIFE?

Oh my God, it is getting too intense! Wait a moment – to put it simply, ask yourself these simple questions:

Do you actually celebrate Life everyday – because you are not Dead?

Do you live Life fully like it is a “Gift”?

Do you enjoy the “Present”, that you have now, called Life?

I promise, just answering these simple questions to ourselves, every morning and night, will help us transform our lives for good, try it!

Those rays that bothered Anna symbolize the difficulties that we face in our dark room of Life and it is us who need to decide if we wish to crib like Anna and waste our beautiful life or put out our blackout curtains, with the help of our family and friends and enjoy this Gift of Life, till we have it!

Sometimes, no actually, most of the times, Complicated problems have a very simple solution, provided we have a receiving mindset. Do you agree?

Imagine how many more years would Anna have been sleep deprived if she hadn’t expressed her concerns to me; or to put it better, I, as a friend had not observed her issues and hadn’t shared the gift with her that helped her sleep better!

This is just a small example to help us reflect that we always have options and most of the times, we remain unaware. Speak up, reach out, discuss your problems, your feelings, your concerns with your friends and family and trust me, most of the times, they may have a very simple solution to a problem that you think is most difficult!

To conclude: Look around and see if any of your friends need help, an ear to talk, a heart to listen….help them. If you are the one seeking help, my friend, then, please don’t hesitate, You are Alive, till you are not Dead and believe me, no one will judge you for anything and even if they do, let them! Life is much more precious than someone’s few nasty thoughts, isn’t it! Now draw those Blackout Curtains to negativity and enjoy Life. Do remember, We always Sulk alone & Enjoy together 🙂so choose wisely!