A Pinch of Gratitude...

If I were to make a list of how many things went wrong in 2025, I could fill a library. In a world that seems to be degenerating every split second, it’s easier to find all the reasons to wish I did not exist here in the first place. I often find myself saying, “Take me back to the old days…” After a swift reality check, I realize that wishing to turn back time is a subtle attempt to run away from the challenges and responsibilities that meet me every day. Anyway, that’s besides the point.

I wanted to share an obvious yet not-so-obvious reflection that I think, as adults, often gets undermined. In a world where we are constantly surrounded by news that amplifies misery and negativity, it is excruciatingly difficult to maintain a positive mindset. I recently had a conversation with an acquaintance who came to visit Kenya from Dubai. It was our first one-on-one meetup. From our brief interaction, he deduced that I focused too much on what I had not achieved in my life and had lost sight of how far I had come.

Coming from someone who had met me for the first time, this caught me by surprise. I had not realized how much my mentality had shifted—how obsessed I had become with fixing what was wrong, to the point that I failed to celebrate my wins. I felt somewhat ashamed and rebuked my lack of gratitude. My excuse? Life felt too busy and dizzying for me to be thankful.

That conversation was a wake-up call to go back to the basics. Waking up in the morning, driving to work, making a cup of tea—these are not just blessings, but privileges. I may have just one companion instead of ten, but thank God that one exists in my life. I may have lost opportunities, but how amazing that I dared to try. I may be short-sighted and have weak knees, but what grace it is that I can see and walk.

It goes without saying: nothing matters more than a heart of gratitude. Yet this does not come naturally. It is a muscle to build and a habit to develop.

A wise man once said, “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.” I hope this year, as the world brings what it brings—good or bad—I, you, we will choose to be grateful. That we will look to the sun, watch it rise and set, and smile. Not because the world will smile back, but simply because we choose to find joy in the little good that exists.