Strength TogetHER 29 - Act of Gratefulness

 Act of Gratefulness 

“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.” - Mary Davis

Lokopakar in collaboration with NIRI (Nexus Institute for Research and Innovation) has started a project to complete Strength TogetHER sessions at 10 public schools in Nepal. Under that, on 20th July, 2022 Lokopakar conducted Strength TogetHER session at Padmodaya Secondary School on the topic “Grateful”.

With our participants, we started the session by discussing what being grateful means. We  explained that it is showing an appreciation for something done or received, and that it can be towards anyone or anything.  

With this, our first participant shared her story of gratefulness. She shared that she is grateful towards her brother since he supports her in everything. He teachers her subjects that she finds difficult like Maths and Science. She added that he is studying Engineering staying in a hostel and is busy studying but still he makes time to help her. She is grateful that he encourages and motivates her, and he also buys her books and always gives her words of encouragement which makes her happy. 

Another participant shared that she is grateful towards her family members and especially her brother and sister. She shared that her sister has always helped her in Math and makes corrections and teaches her as well. They own a shop and have to always open the shutter in the morning, and her brother always helps her to open the shutter as he says it might be difficult for her. She is grateful that they help her in both studies and work. 

“I am grateful towards my friends as they help me in small things and also I share my feelings with them. Once I had cut my finger accidentally, and my friend offered me a bandaid. I am grateful to her for that”, shared another participant. 

Another participant shared that when she was in class 5, her mother dropped her at the school intersection, and she had to cut the road to reach the school. She was scared to do so, as there were many vehicles, but an unknown aunty in the road helped her cross the road. She was grateful to that aunty. 

“My mother allows me to go to school on my own but my father still drops me to school. I am grateful to him for that”, shared another participant. Other participants shared similar stories as well. 

Another participant shared a somewhat similar story where she had gone to an aunty’s house but got lost on the way. She was crying on the way when an unknown uncle asked her what happened and told not to cry and even got her chocolate to calm her down. She said that the uncle stayed with her until her father came to find her, and that she is grateful to that uncle. 

Other participants shared similar stories where they were grateful towards their family and friends for helping them.  We ended the session for the day by discussing that we don’t usually thank the people around us for the help and support they do on a daily basis but it is important to do so. We all agreed to thank our family and friends that day, and always be grateful for the people and things around us.