Tomorrow's Yesterday

My Dear Rishi,

It has been sometime since I wrote. As the year ends, I take some time to reflect the year 2012. It has been a year of personal loss and also a year of personal transformation. Today, as I write these words I am grateful for where I am in spite of many changes. This is the year I have made strides in letting go and just be. I have realized, it matters how we live rest of the life and cherish what we have. I want to end this year with one of the poems which has touched me recently in a quite palpable way.

 

Tomorrow's Yesterday

By Linda Ellis

 

We rue the passing of each yesterday

because it is, forever gone

and take for granted that we'll live to see

another break of dawn.

 

Time eagerly moves forward;

though we may plead, it never lingers.

Intangible yet, we feel its presence

as it slips right through our fingers.

 

It progresses callously onward

like an illness with no cure,

while we anticipate tomorrow

as if it was ours, for sure.

 

Precious seconds tick in rhythm

as we walk...and laugh...and sleep,

accumulating into minutes

that we can use, but never keep.

 

Today is here, but only once,

a blessing...merely ours to borrow,

for it will soon turn into yesterday...

just as it is was once, tomorrow.

 

Minutes to hours, hours to days,

no secret or mystery....

our "now" in turn, becomes our "then"

...a part of life's history.

 

Live for today...live for your "now"\

make memories that will last;

paint bold colors of your present

to the canvas of your past.

 

Don't postpone your hopes and dreams

by saying ....I'll be happy when....."

Seize the seconds that are passing by

for you can't get them back again!

 

Learn to savor these 24 hours

without one minute of delay,

because too soon they will forever be....

tomorrow's yesterday.

 

Rishi, I love you each day more and more although the distance between becomes wider and wider, as you said, "Daddy, when you are alone remember, I am in your heart and you are in my heart". Truly wised words Rishi...I love you more each second, minute, hour, days, months and years......

 

Wish you a Happy New Year son.....hope, pray and wish you the very best for 2013. Whatever is best for you should always happen...love ! I miss you ...

 

With lots of love, hugs and kisses....

 

Daddy

Miracles

My Dear Rishi,

Wishing you the very best on Diwali. Hope, you have a wonderful day. Today I recieved, a wonderful comment on this blog. It was sorts of miracle as I was wondering if my writing this blog for you has any value at all. I am not sure if you will ever read and all kinds of negative thoughts were running in my head, to be honest I was feeling very down. I was checking my email and  I saw following,  comment from a complete stranger about one specific story I wrote for you in my blog.

 Martha Williams, Kids Trek has left a new comment on your post "Story of Evans Wadongo":

On Wed., Nov. 14, I shall teach children and their families the process of invention during the Mensa Kids Trek Inventors Workshop here in Alabama, United States of America.
Miracles happen every moment of our lives. A miracle, by my definition, is anything that has not yet been explained by science.
The miracle of this moment is that I have found your letter just after learning about the accomplishment of Evans Wandongo that was posted by an organization who has worked to help our excellent President Barack Obama receive re-election.
How the threads intertwine is always amazing.
I plan to use your letter to inspire my children and their families to expand their minds through the invention process, and, also, to realize that people of all ages, of all backgrounds have the potential to be successful in their lives, to contribute to the world, and, possibly, to discover the geniuses that lie within all of us.
Thank you for taking the time to read my comment. May your life be blessed as you bless the lives of those around you.
Rishi, this is miracle in action for you.  I never imagined what I am writing for you could help others. I hope, wish one day you also get an opportunity to read this blog. Since the theme of today's letter has been about "miracles", I feel today's poem should also be about miracles. Here is a beautiful poem by Walt Whitman on miracles.

Miralces

By Walt Whitman

 

WHY! who makes much of a miracle?
As to me, I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach, just in the edge of the water,
Or stand under trees in the woods,
Or talk by day with any one I love—or sleep in the bed at night with any one I love,
Or sit at table at dinner with my mother,
Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car,
Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive, of a summer forenoon,
Or animals feeding in the fields,
Or birds—or the wonderfulness of insects in the air,
Or the wonderfulness of the sun-down—or of stars shining so quiet and bright,
Or the exquisite, delicate, thin curve of the new moon in spring;
Or whether I go among those I like best, and that like me best—mechanics, boatmen,
farmers,
Or among the savans—or to the soiree—or to the opera,
Or stand a long while looking at the movements of machinery,
Or behold children at their sports,
Or the admirable sight of the perfect old man, or the perfect old woman,
Or the sick in hospitals, or the dead carried to burial,
Or my own eyes and figure in the glass;
These, with the rest, one and all, are to me miracles,
The whole referring—yet each distinct, and in its place.

To me, every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same;
Every spear of grass—the frames, limbs, organs, of men and women, and all that
concerns them,

All these to me are unspeakably perfect miracles.

To me the sea is a continual miracle;
The fishes that swim—the rocks—the motion of the waves—the ships, with men
in them,
What stranger miracles are there?

 

Let this Diwali bring miracles in our lives and hope we spend more time together. 

With lots of love, hugs, kisses and best wishes,

Daddy.



To Hope

My Dear Rishi,

After our long talk few weeks back, we have not been able to talk for more than fifteen minutes at a stretch since then.

I came across another poem few years back by Emily Dickinson called, "Hope" is the thing with feathers.

"Hope" is the thing with feathers

By Emily Dickinson

 

"Hope" is the thing with feathers --
That perches in the soul --
And sings the tune without the words --
And never stops -- at all --

And sweetest -- in the Gale -- is heard --
And sore must be the storm --
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm --

I've heard it in the chillest land --
And on the strangest Sea --
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb -- of Me.

 

Rishi, every weekend I live with a hope that I hear your voice, talk to you forever, be part of your life, I have already missed out so much and everything else fails, this hope sustains me and keeps me going that one day we will be together. I love you very much and miss you Rishi.

 

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

 

Daddy







The Solitary Reaper

My Dear Rishi,

Last weekend we spoke for an hour and fifteen minutes. You were telling me jokes, singing songs and you also told me about your sister. I am really happy for your Rishi, that you have a younger sister to play with and give you company. You are so loving and you will enjoy company of a sibling. I did not have a sister but having a younger brother was so much fun, we used to play together, sometimes fight and yet be there for each other. My best childhood memories are with my younger brother and I love my brother. I am so glad he is in my life. Rishi, you are a big brother...congratulations!

Today's poem is called, " The Solitary Reaper" By William's Wordsworth. I came across this poem in when I was in 6th Grade. That time I did not understand it much but as I grew older I understand and feel the poem in my heart..I have realized sometimes we all are nothing but "Solitary Reapers" in this journey of life

The Solitary Reaper

By Williams Wordsworth

Be hold her, single in the field,

Yon solitary Highland Lass!

Reaping and signing by herself;

Stop here, or gently pass!

Alone she cuts and binds the grain,

And signs a melancholy strain;

O listen! for the Vale profound

Is overflowing the sound.

No Nightingale did ever chaunt

More welcome notes to weary bands

Of travellers in some shady haunt,

Among Arabian sands:

A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard

In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,

Breaking the silence of the seas

Among the farthest Hebrides.

Will no one tell me what she sings?-

Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow

For old, unhappy, far-off things,

And battles long ago;

Or is it some more humble lay,

Familiar matter of to-day?

Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,

That has been and may again?

Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang

As if her song could have no ending;

I saw her singing at her work,

And o'er the sickle bending;-

I listen'd, motionless and still;

And, as I mounted up the hill,

The music in my heart I bore.

Long after it was heard no more.

 

Rishi, I love you very much and miss you!

 

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

 

Daddy

 

 

Invictus

My Dear Rishi,

We had a great chat on the weekend. You read from the book I gave you  "On The Day you were Born" By Nancy Tillman. I am really impressed and proud of you Rishi.  You remembered that I had pasted our pictures together and you could not see them anymore. Rishi, you know what you said to me finally, "Daddy, I love you forever where you are, wherever you go, my love will find you". Thank you Rishi! I love you and miss you!

Today's poem is called Invictus. In Latin, it means invincible, unconquered. William Ernest Henley, author of this poem wrote it when his one remaining foot was to be amputated, he was in lot of pain, the words flowed, "In the fell clutch of circumstances I have not winced nor cried aloud". In a very short life of twenty five years he had endured illness, poverty, pain and suffering...endless treatments and operations testing human courage to its limits. As he lay in his hospital bed, he promised himself, smiling and said, "But I won't give up! I won't give, no matter what happens. I thank god for unconquerable soul". I find this poem very appropriate for the emotional pain of missing you, not playing with you, not being part of your life as you grow.....Rishi, I won't give up on you, on us, our love, love between a father and child....I won't...I love you son.  I read this poem every day, sometimes every waking hour.....I find strength and courage to face another second.. Interestingly, enough Nelson Mandela, used to read the same poem, during apartheid regime in South Africa when he was imprisoned in Robben Island, isolated from his family, alone, in a dark and dingy cell.

Invictus

William Ernest Henley

 

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

 

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed

 

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shad,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

 

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul

 

This poem has helped me and given me courage to face sorrow, pain and fear; and accept the blows of my fate, to triumph and raise like a Phoenix.  Yes, one thing  I have to admit though, I do weep when the pain of not being with you becomes too great to bare, which is at least once a day.





 

 



 

I love you Rishi and miss you!

 

 

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

 

Daddy

A Psalm of Life

My Dear Rishi,

I enjoyed our conversatin on 13th morning for about 40 minutes.  You were full of life, we talked about your school, your freinds and the best part was you were imitating different animals especially the Asiatic Gibbon, you remembered from the time we visited in Singapore Zoo

 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is one of my favourite poets. His poetry and his writing has influenced my life. One of his poems I love reading  is called, "A Psalm of Life". This poem became so famous it was translated into French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Danish and Sanskrit. I personally like this poem as its message is full of  faith and hope. This poem has helped me alot in the past five years. Hope, you also find this poem insprirational as many in this world.

 

 

A Psalm of Life

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream!-

For the soul is dead slumbers,

And things are not what they seem.

 

Life is real! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

Was not spoken of the soul.

 

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each tomorrow

Find us farther than today.

 

Art is long, Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

 

In the world's broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

Be a hero in the strife!

 

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act, _act in the living Present!

Heart within, and God o'erhead!

 

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time,

 

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o'er life's solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take heart again.

 

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to labor and to wait.

 

Rishi, this poem was quoted by Gandhi and one of his favourite line is (..."Things are not what they seem"). Hope poems like this guide you in your life.

 

 



 

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

 

Love,

 

Daddy

 







Thanksgiving-Those

My Dear Rishi,

I enjoyed talking to you for about forty minutes on the weekend. You were laughing and making funny noises. Every time I hear your voice, your laughter it sustains me till the next time I get to talk to you.

 

Honey

 



Yesterday was thanksgiving in Canada. Honey and I spent time together. Once again I missed you, love! This thanksgiving, despite my personal loss. I have chosen to be thankful to what "is" in my life. Although you are so far away and I miss you very much, I am thankful for the fact that you are well taken care of, you are loved and you have family around you. Rishi, as a parent it is natural to expect to be with their children and be part of their growing up experience. However, it is much more important for a parent in my situation is to be is thankful that their children or child is loved, cared for and are safe. As a father, I need to go beyond my own emotional need and look at life from your need and your perspective as you are the future and I am the past. I am grateful and thankful that every time we talk you tell me I love you daddy...Thank you Rishi :)

 



Honey

Today's poem is from a book called Live Your Dash By Linda Ellis. The title of poem is "THOSE"

 

Those

By Linda Ellis

 

I write, not for those thankful

for an abundance of wealth,

for whom good fortune has blessed

their home and their health;

 

those who walk golden pathways

towards means and success...

a safe distance apart

from those who have less,

 

but instead for the people

who can see those with more

and still humbly count blessings

for which they are thankful for;

 

those whose journey through life

has been far from the best,

yet consider themselves

nonetheless, blessed;

 

those whose open hearts give

without asking why;

those who freely share water

when their own well is dry;

 

those who view neighbors' riches

with no envy or greed,

nor resent them for having

much more than they need.

 

Let us solemnly promise

a day shall not close

without being grateful

and thankful for Those....

 

Rishi, my personal view on gratitude and being thankful begins from the minute I open my eyes. If I can get up from my bed in the morning, I am grateful and thankful to the universe that I have a roof above my head and a bed to sleep. I am grateful and thankful for Honey's presence in my life. I am thankful and grateful for the fact that I am able to walk, talk and do my things. I am thankful and grateful for the fact that I have  love, good health, enough money to sustain myself and do things I like and more. I can go on and on about things I am thankful and grateful for. Rishi, I choose to live a life of GRATITUDE. In, "Conversations with God" author Neale Donald Walsch wrties, "The correct prayer is not prayer of supplication but prayer of GRATITUDE...". I hope, pray and wish you live a life of GRATITUDE and not a life of supplication.

 

I love you Rishi!!

 

With lots of love, hugs and kisses

 

Love,

Daddy

 



 

A Father To His Son

My Dear Rishi,

I look forward to talking to you this evening and hope we can connect.

Today's poem is from Carl Sandburg. Carl Sandburg was born to Swedish immigrant parents in Illinois. His parents were very poor hence he had to stop his education after grade eight. After few years of doing odd jobs in Kansas, he volunteered to fight in the American-Spanish war. This qualified him for free tuition to study in college. In 1939, I believe he won the Pulitzer award for his work on Abraham Lincoln.

Carl Sandburg

I was introduced to his writings and poems in 1994. A Father to His Son is one of my favourite poems. This poem has made quite an impact in my life. I find, in this poem,  entire essence of life that any parent can impart to their children. In my opinion, this poem takes a very balanced view of life and also imparts the value of being true to yourself. Hope, you can benefit from the wisdom of this poem.

A Father to His Son

Carl Sandburg

 

A father sees his son nearing manhood

What shall he tell that son? "Life is hard; be steel; be rock"

And this might stand him for the storms and serve him for humdrum monotony and guide him among sudden betrayals and tighten him for slack moments.

 

"Life is a soft loam; be gentle, go easy". And this too might serve him.

Brutes have been gentled where lashes failed

The growth of a frail flower in a path up has sometimes shattered and split a rock.

A tough will counts. So does desire. So does a rich soft wanting

Without rich wanting nothing arrives.

 

Tell him too much money has killed men and left them dead years before burial: the quest of lucre beyond a few easy needs has twisted good enough men sometimes into dry thwarted worms. Tell him as stuff, can be wasted.

 

Tell him to much money has killed men and left them dead for years before burial: the quest for lucre beyond a few easy needs has twisted good enough men sometimes into dry thwarted worms. Tell him time as stuff can be wasted.

 

Tell him to be a fool every so often and to have no shame over having been a fool yet learning something out of every hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies thus arriving at intimate understanding of a world numbering many fools.

 

Tell him to be alone often and get at himself and food all tell himself no lies about himself whatever the white lies and protective front he may use against other people

 

Tell him solitude is creative if he is strong and the final decisions are made in silent rooms. Tell him to be different from other people if it comes natural and easy being different.

Let him have lazy days seeking his deeper motives. Let him seek deep for where he is born natural.

 

Then he may understand Shakespeare and the Wright brothers, Pasteur, Pavlov, Michael Faraday and free imaginations. Bringing changes into a world resenting change. He will be lonely  enough to have time for the work of his own.

 

God Bless you Rishi, I love you and miss you very much son!

 

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

 

Love,

 

Daddy

 

 

 

The Road Not Taken

My Dear Rishi,

It has been few weeks since I wrote this blog. It has been interesting few weeks to say the least. "The Road Not Taken" is one of my favourite poems. I read Robert Frost's poem first time in 6th Class or grade.  This poem has helped me, guided me and shaped me especially when I had to decide whether to walk away or try harder. Recently, I had to make a decision in my professional life, once again this poem really helped me to take the road which is usually less travelled.

 

The Road Not Taken



By Robert Frost

 

 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveller, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

 

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

 

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I marked the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever comeback.

 

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence;

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has all made the difference.

 

Rishi, poems like these are timeless classics as they have passed through generations and stood the test of time. Like me, I am quite sure this poem has influenced many people and will continue to influence, inspire and transform. Hope, this poem some day influences, inspires and transforms you to always take the higher road.  God bless you Rishi!

 

Rishi, I love you and miss you very much.

 

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

 

Daddy

God to a Mother

My Dear Rishi,

I enjoyed speaking with you last weekend. We talked for about 30 minutes first time in months. It was a very rough week, emotionally for me as I came across one of my favourite pictures of your mother, Honey and I. This picture was taken on the new year day in 2005. I wanted to share this picture with you.  I had to put myself together and wanted to keep it positive for you.

Here is a beautiful poem for you to read, I love this poem and always cherish and consider this as a tribute to all mother's in this world. 

God to a Mother

I’ll lend you for a little time,

A child of mine, he said.

For you to love while she lives,

And to mourn when she is dead.

It may be six or seven years,

Or maybe twenty two or three,

But will you, till I call her back,

Take care of her for me?

She’ll bring her charms to gladden you,

And shall her stay be brief,

You’ll have her lovely memories

As solace for your grief.

I cannot promise she will stay,

Since all from earth return.

But there are lessons taught down there,

I want this child to learn.

I’ve looked the wide world over,

In my search for teachers true.

And from the throngs that crowd life’s lanes

I have chosen you.

Now will you give her all your love,

Nor think the labor vain.

Nor hate me when I come to call,

To take her back to me.

I fancied that I heard you say

Dear Lord, thy will be done.

For all the joy this child shall bring

The risk of grief we’ll run.

We’ll shelter her with tenderness,

We’ll love her while we may.

And for the happiness we’ve known,

We’ll ever grateful stay.

But shall the angels call for her

Much sooner than we planned.

We’ll brave the bitter grief that comes

And love her till the end.

I miss you very much Rishi. With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

Love,

Daddy 

Ten Spiritual Tonics

My Dear Rishi,

It was nice to hear you talk for about 12 minutes after a month. It also pained to hear that all you could say for anything I asked is "I don't know" including when I asked you, " how are you?" I understand it is not you..love. On Friday, I went for hang gliding. It was okay but I was not as excited or as thrilled as skydiving or flying on a fixed wing glider. This was my last item in my bucket list.

I wanted to share with you something interesting I read few years back, it is called " Ten Spiritual Tonics". Rishi, these ten lines have helped me in many ways than I can ever imagine. Hope you find them helpful in your life's journey too.

Ten Spiritual Tonics

Abraham L. Feinberg

1. Stop Worrying: Worry kills life.
2. Begin each day with a prayer: It will arm your soul
3. Control Appetite: Over-iindulgence clogs body and mind
4. Accept your Limitations: All of us can't be great
5. Don't envy: It wastes time and energy
6. Have faith in people: Cynicism sours disposition
7. Find a hobby: It will relax your nerves
8. Read a book a week to stimulate imagination and broaden your view
9. Spend time alone, for the peace, solitude and silence
10. Try to want what you have, instead of spending your strength trying to get what you want.

Rishi, I came across recently a little prayer as I was getting frustrated as I was not able to reach you. I saw this piece of writing by Robert Holden, and I thought this was a perfect answer to my frustration and for peace of my mind..Here is the prayer....( just added your name :) )

"Dear God,

I give you my relationship with my son Rishi,

I give you my desire to control this relationship.

Let love be my guide.

Let love bless us both.

So be it."

Truth is, that one cannot be in control and be happy

Rishi, I love you and miss you very much.

With lots of love, hugs and kisses

Daddy





On Children

My Dear Rishi,

Another week of not being able to speak to you...I tried calling you few times. Day before yesterday, we spoke briefly and you requested me to call you later, I tried but no one answered. Hopefully, we can talk this weekend..Sometimes in life we have to play the cards we have been dealt with.

This week's poem is by Kahlil Gibran. I love his writing specially his collection of poems in a book called, "The Prophet".  One of my all time favourite is called, "On Children". I love this poem from so many reasons. It is for all the parents to realize that, parents are nothing but custodians of this precious god's gift. Some parents tend to become overbearing, over protective, manipulative all in the name of "love". It is so sad, such parents give bad name to the word "parent". How sad is this! Of all the people you may understand this when you grow up one day.

On Children

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said,

Speak to us of Children.

And he said:

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love, but not your thoughts,

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and

He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Rishi, the above poem is so profound if we parent's truly live each word, we would treasure god's gift to humanity -our children as caretakers whose only duty to is to raise them with love and understanding that one day we have to let them go into the universe, where we parents don't belong. We are truly god's facilitators and such we must do our duty.

I love you Rishi, and miss you very much. It has been more than a month since we talked for more than five minutes. Hope this weekend we can talk for an hour.. I can't wait to talk to you this weekend love.

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

Daddy

The Dash

My Dear Rishi,

We could not talk last week for more than 15 seconds. Hope we can talk for bit longer this coming weekend.

I came across the following poem in 1998, it changed my life and gave me a whole new perspective in life. Hope it may also help you too some day.

The Dash

by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone,
from the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
the cars…the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and realand always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile,remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read,
with your life’s actions to rehash…
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent YOUR DASH?

Rishi, we all have choice how we can fill our "DASH" in that lies our freedom. Hope,your DASH is filled with love, light, compassion, joy,kindness and understanding.

I love you and miss you very much.

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

Daddy

Your Birthday

My Dear Rishi,

Once again we could not talk on the weekend. However, I enjoyed our ten minutes conversation on your birthday last week. I missed being with you but I was consoled knowing you were happy and received the gifts I sent including the Transformer's Bumble bee costume. I wish I could see you wearing the costume... I wrote the following poem for you on your birthday.

Your Birthday

Your birthday takes me back to the day when you were born,

Like a little angel you opened your eyes in my arms, you showed me what was true beauty in this world.

You looked at me and your look was so divine, so pure and so beautiful,

Even in the darkness, your bright eyes shined and there was a spark.

Today when I look at you, I see the same shine and spark,

They say face is the index of mind, eyes are the windows to your soul.

Son, thank you for showing the beauty you hold within your eyes, your heart and your soul.

May you always be blessed to keep the shine and the spark alive in your eyes.

As I hold you dearly in my heart and you hold me in yours.

May the love in our hearts always keep us closer where ever we are

Heart to heart though miles apart my love for you will never part.

Happy Birthday to you son! God bless you. Remember you are loved.

You are precious child of this universe and I love you son.

Rishi, I am delighted you had a good time on your birthday and god bless you son. I love you and miss you very much.

With lots of love, hugs and kisses.

Daddy

Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments

My Dear Rishi,

We could not talk this weekend although I heard your voice briefly.

Today, I wanted to share with you The Ten Paradoxical Commandments. Rishi, I first came across these ten paradoxical commandments when I started my university. I bought some peanuts near the university and the peanuts were rolled in this paper which had the ten paradoxical commandments typed. It is amazing when you you are open to life and learning, opportunities just pop up, I believe there is a Buddhist saying which very eloquently expresses what I am trying to say here, "When the student is ready, the master appears". I had kept that piece of paper for longest time and than I finally wrote it in my diary. Once again I came across the same commandments when I was reading Mother Teresa's biography. Third time, I got the same message in an email. This poem has had a profound affect on me. Every time I come at cross roads in my life this poem appears. This happened again, when  I was browsing a book store, I saw a book called, " Do It Anyway" By Kent M. Keith. I immediately recognized the Ten Paradoxical Commandments, finally I knew the original author of these ten commandments was.  Till than every where I read, the author was anonymous.

I bought the book, "Do It Anyway"  and read it the same night.  I learned that Kent Keith wrote these commandments in 1968 while attending Harvard as an undergraduate student. He discovered that his inspirational words had taken on a life of their own, it was quoted by politicians and celebrities and in more than 6000 websites. These inspirational words appeared on the wall of Mother Teresa's children's home in Calcutta. In 1997, when Mother Teresa passed away the author found out that these commandments were on Mother Teresa's children's home in Calcutta. Thirty years after he wrote the Ten Commandments, and finding out Mother Teresa had this on her wall in Children's home (Sishu Bhavan) made a huge impact on the author. He ended up writing this book, "Do It Anyway".

Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments

By Kent M. Keith

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

Do good anyway

3. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway

4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway

5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway

6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway

7. People favour underdogs but follow only top dogs.

Fight for a few underdogs anyway

8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway

9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway

10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth

Give the world the best you have anyway

Rishi, I have made an attempt to live my life by following these paradoxical commandments  ever since I read them. It has given me inner peace, taught me hope, to persevere, to face adversity with understanding and compassion and last but not the least, acceptance about transient nature of humans.  Hope you find these paradoxical commandments helpful in your life.

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

Daddy

The Contract

My Dear Rishi,

It was fantastic to hear your voice for very very brief three minutes past weekend. I called you back as you requested on Sunday but no one answered the phone.

Rishi, as I write this letter, I reflect back to the day five years back today.  We both have come long way since than. Never in million years I ever anticipated this is how a child and father will be separated. Every child has the right to be with his or her parents and receive the love, support  from them.  In spite of everything I am grateful for life that that you are in this world, happy, growing up with love and care. God bless you son, I love you and will always miss you.

I came across a very beautiful poem today. The poem is by Linda Ellis and it is called the Contract. As I read this poem I understand why I am still here, what is keeping me going, what is sustaining from within when all else has fallen apart. I was there when you took the first breath in this world, when you first opened your eyes in this world and looked right into my eyes love.  Hope one day you read this poem and understand the essence of this poem what it means.

The Contract

By Linda Ellis.

When you breathed into your lungs

that first independent birth,

you signed an invisible contract

breached only upon death.

You made a subconscious promise

when you entered this earth

to cherish this life

and realize its worth.

This contract never expires,

and it never renews;

it has no small print or jargon

to daze and confuse.

An alliance, a marriage,

not of a husband and a wife--

but a union of yourself

and a brief and precious life.

A simple commitment in a pact,

very uncomplicated

Details of the terms are:

Agreement as Stated:

You've been blessed with existence--

an amazing creation.

Living life to the fullest

is your sole obligation.

Are you fulfilling your contract,

your promise, your vow

by inhabiting moments

of your here and your now?

Or.....

Are you often discouraged,

downcast, disenchanted?

Do you forget to count your blessings

and take life for granted?

When you find yourself there,

remember and think

of the contract you "signed"

in a permanent ink:

You've been blessed with existence--

an amazing creation

Living life to the fullest

is your sole obligation

Rishi, as I re-read this poem few times and as I typed this here again, all I could think of the time you were born and I was holding you love. I love you very much and miss you ....

God bless you son...

With lots of love and kisses,

Daddy