-Submission 1-
The Ground of My Gratitude
Gratitude has taught me that even in seasons of hardship, there are always reasons to remember love. It is not about having everything, but about recognizing the quiet ways life has provided enough. Gratitude allows me to look back at the path I have walked and see that behind every struggle, there were hands, hearts, and prayers that carried me forward.
At the center of this gratitude are my parents. We may have lived with little, but they gave me more than what material wealth could ever provide. My father worked tirelessly, choosing labor over comfort, so I could continue my studies without fear. My mother turned scarcity into sufficiency, making sure I felt cared for even when life was uncertain. They did not need to tell me how much they sacrificed; I saw it in their eyes, in their exhaustion, in the way they still found the strength to encourage me. Their love became the foundation of every dream I now continue to pursue.
And somewhere along the way, I have learned to be grateful to myself. For staying. For showing up on days when I wanted to hide. For carrying the weight of expectations even when my body was tired and my mind was full of doubt. Gratitude to myself is not about glorifying struggle. It is about honoring survival. It is about looking back at the person I once was and saying, “You made it here, even when you thought you wouldn’t.”
Above all, I am grateful to God. He has been my constant source of strength, my peace in moments of fear, and my comfort in times of uncertainty. His love has never left me, even when I struggled to believe in myself. Every blessing I have received, every moment of courage, and every chance to begin again has been because of His grace.
Overall, gratitude is not just about remembering others. It is also about remembering who I am because of them. I am my parents’ child, carrying their sacrifices. I am my own companion, carrying my perseverance. And I am God’s creation, carrying His grace. To be grateful is to live with humility, to walk with remembrance, and to never forget that every blessing—no matter how small—is a reminder that life, despite its hardships, has always given me more than enough.
-Submission 2-
When I was young I firmly believed that a moth dies because it loves the light too much. I used to sit by the window at night, watching them burn their wings on the flame of a candle, and I thought maybe it was beautiful, maybe it was brave. I didn’t know then that one day I would stand in the same darkness, staring at a light I thought I did not deserve, ready to burn myself into nothing.
I grew up believing that pain was meant to be hidden. I wore smiles like armor and jokes like a mask, yet inside me, a storm never stopped. The nights were the worst. The silence of the house made the noise in my head louder. It whispered that I was not enough, that I was a burden, that disappearing would be a relief to everyone, even to me. Depression is not simply sadness. It is drowning while everyone else breathes. It is carrying an invisible coffin on your back, walking through school halls, church aisles, and family dinners without a sound.
There was a night when I almost listened. My hands trembled as if they belonged to someone else. The room was quiet but my heart was screaming. I remember thinking of the moths again, of how they surrendered to the flame. I wondered if surrendering would finally bring peace. But then—somehow—a memory cut through the noise. My mother’s laugh. My father’s quiet prayers. My younger self sitting by the window, curious, still believing that there was something worth seeing tomorrow. That memory, small and fragile, held me back from stepping off the edge.
That night I did not choose death. That night I chose one more breath, even if it was heavy. I chose one more sunrise, even if my eyes were swollen. It was not because I was strong. It was because hope, even when buried under rubble, still flickers. It only needs a tiny crack to escape.
Now I am grateful in ways I cannot explain. Grateful for the tears that washed me clean enough to see the world again. Grateful for the arms that held me when I was shaking, even when I thought I didn’t deserve to be held. Grateful for the nights I survived, for the mornings I did not plan to see. Grateful, most of all, that I didn’t give up.
Because life after almost losing it is not the same. Every sound of rain feels like forgiveness. Every sunlight on my skin feels like a promise. Every laugh I make now feels like an echo of the younger me whispering, “You made it.” I still have hard days, but I no longer see the flame as something to run into. I see it as something to guide me home.
And when I look at the moths now, I don’t see creatures dying for light. I see fragile beings risking their wings because they still believe in brightness. I am one of them. But instead of burning, I am learning to live.
-Submission 3-
I am grateful to have family to support me daily and yearly with my goals. I am grateful to be in good health so I can do the things I want and aim to on a daily basis. I hope I can continue in my efforts to help more people given my background and interests. Each day I like to think is not for granted and hope to make it count. Onwards!
-Submission 4-
I am the most grateful for this moment which is a late afternoon where I am sitting out side in fresh air with awesome greenery and beautiful flowers being able to take smoothe breaths in and out. I know this process is taken for granted, but you could only appreciate it when it is difficult to do that.
As the scholar said Saadi said in Dari (translated): In every breath, there are two blessings — inhale and exhale — each one deserving a thank you…
But who might ever be capable to acknowledge that verbally and express that GRATITUDE for all the breaths taken?
Thank you God for all your blessings.🤲🏻🤲🏻🤲🏻🤲🏻🤲🏻
-Submission 5-
I am so grateful and blessed to have a normal physical exam and normal blood test results recently. I am very grateful also that my allergies are significantly better even after I reduced my allergy medications. Hopefully, this will continue and I will have the opportunity to do more exercise and physical activity.
Thank you 🙏
-Submission 6-
I am grateful to be able to challenge myself and grow through my professional pursuits as well as my hobbies. I am grateful to connect with new people and learn from them. I am grateful to be able to maintain relationships with family and friends, namely all the people that are closest to me in my life.