Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself.

– Author Unknown

It’s 10: 42 PM on day 109 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to feed myself Chapati – an unleavened flatbread – and Kadala Curry – made of brown chickpeas –   for  breakfast,  brush my teeth – my mom constantly complains that I don’t do anything and when I try to brush my teeth over the sink – I usually brush my teeth perched on the toilet spitting the toothpaste and water into a small bucket – she says I’m making a mess – I just can’t win with her 🙁  –     tweet about my Clean Water For All Campaign for a few hours –  I was hoping that people would donate to my cause in the spirit of starting the year off on a good note – no such luck 🙁 –     feed myself carrots  for lunch,   exercise for 15 minutes – the 15 minutes went by in the blink of an in large part due to the fact that I was watching my favourite show  The Ghost Whisperer – imagine what life would be like if we could talk to those who were no longer with us –  and  play host to the 20+ people who were at our New Year’s Eve barbeque – it was so much fun we played board games and ate – A LOT LOL 🙂

In the spirit of New Year’s Eve I spent a few hours after breakfast reflecting on the year that was 2010 and as I saw my life with different eyes I finally realized that the only thing standing between me and my goals for 2011 (see below) is the intense hate that I feel towards my father for the way I grew up and so as we approach a new year I give my father a gift that we both can share – the gift of forgiveness. Have you let go of all the hate that you’ve felt in 2010? 🙂  

My goals for 2011

• To raise $4 500 for The Water Project Inc through my Clean Water for All Campaign

• To be physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually independent of my parents

• To write a book and have it published

Happy New Year everyone! 🙂