A Hundred Days Of This - Day 67

The sun was out today! Phew! I cannot remember the last time I saw the sunlight streaming through the clouds and hitting my face. Oh, it was such a joy! 

All these years whenever Ratha Sapthami was celebrated at home, I never really paid much attention to it. Even when I learnt the Aditya Hrudyam formally from an acquaintance who very kindly accepted to teach it to me, I did not completely appreciate the hymn. Now here in Sweden the Sun disappears for days altogether and then it hit me like a brick. Winter blues are for real.

Mental health is not a joke. See, I am not Batman and yes, being in the dark feels cosy. But please do not fool yourself by equating staying at home in the dark to comfort. What seems like the easiest thing to do slowly sucks away your life. Get your blood checked for Vitamin D levels, if you do not buy this. And it is a vicious cycle, your physical health takes the hit because your mental health is not great; you are feeling low because there is something wrong physiologically. And the first thing to help you break that cycle is pretty much basic - The Sun.

Another thing I have realised after coming here is how different is the style of raising a child from what I have traditionally seen back in India. All weather happiness. Here the kids do not care if it is sultry or raining or snowing. They all go to the school if it is open or at least get out of the house. And these kids go on to be those people who go for jogs when it is -5°C outside. Maybe this is what Resilience is. I wonder if I can ever be like the kids at the preschool right opposite my apartment: full of joy and not bothered about the cold.

Remember to say thank you to the Sun and march forward like Lord Rama did. Every single day! Reminder to take Vitamin D supplements too.

And that's Day 67 for you!