Purity of Mind

My Dear Rishi,

We spoke briefly on the weekend. I recently read a very interesting story and I wanted to share with you love.

Purity of Mind

Long time ago, in a dense jungle in India, three thieves lived and made their living by robbing travellers who passed through the jungle. One evening they waylaid, a very rich merchant who accidentally ventured into their territory. One of the thieves got hold of him and was ready to kill the merchant, so that he could take away all his belongings. Seeing the big sword, the second thief snatched the sword and said," What do we gain from killing him? Let us just tie him up and take whatever we want." The third thief who was witnessing all these quietly said nothing. Finally, the three thieves tied up the merchant and took away all his valuables. After they had gone a little way, the third thief was overcome by remorse and said, "Both of you share this valuables which we took from the merchant. I do not want any of it. That traveller must be scared out of his wits. I will go back and help him". Saying this, the third thief returned to the traveller, untied ropes that bound him, gave him food and escorted  him safely through the forest.

Rishi, the three thieves represents human qualities which we need to understand. In this story, the first thief represents the quality of selfishness and self-centeredness. This quality made the thief so callous and cruel that he was ready to kill the merchant without a second thought. The second thief represents the quality of quality of result oriented action or thinking of means to achieve an end. He did not see any benefit in killing the merchant and defined a better course of action that would allow them to take the valuables from him. The third thief represents the purity.Though he participates in crime initially, he was later overcome by remorse and he listened to his conscience. He put the needs of the merchant before his gain and went back to help and protect him.

Rishi, when you have purity of heart and mind we are able to listen to our inner voice. I have found meditation is one of the ways to keep the purity of heart and it also enables to listen to your inner voice. In this story, the third thief had three things aligned, purity of mind, purity of heart and purity of action. In other words, his thought, word and deed were aligned to take a higher road.

God bless you Rishi, I love you and miss you. May you always have a pure heart..

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

Daddy

Father's Day

My Dear Rishi,

I really enjoyed talking with you on the weekend.  Today is father's day. This father's day brings along with the grief of not being with you, your mother's ask of me and as well as missing my dad.  It has been rather emotional day on many levels. The day has just passed as one big blur for me.

I belive there are many men out there who will agree with me that being a father is the most rewarding relationship that they have in their lives. Children begin by loving their fathers unconditionally. There is nothing the father has to do to earn his child's love. The difficult part is not losing it. In our case,  everytime you see me, talk to me you have always been unconditionally loving to me.  Rishi, you have risen above the surrounding noise and love is what you see whenever we meet or talk over the phone. This love is unconditional is mutually given and recieved. For this I am eternally grateful to you  and  god. Rishi this uncondtional love I receive from you, is what sustains me. Hope and wish this continues as long as I live.

On this day Rishi, once again and always my prayer for you is always the same as the day I wrote the following poem for you:

A Father's Hope, Prayer and Wish for his child

May you always be a BETTER person and not a BITTER person
May you always be the LIGHT wherever there is DARKNESS
May you always be LOVE wherever there is HATER ED
May you always be KIND wherever there is CRUELTY
May you always bring JOY wherever there is SADNESS
May you always bring PEACE wherever there is CONFLICT

May you always be HAPPY and realize that HAPPINESS is within you and the purpose of life is to be HAPPY!

When I was in Singapore recently, you recorded following message for father's day for me love..Thank you very much.

 Rishi's message for Father's Day: 2012

I love you very much and miss you darling.

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

Daddy.

What is Grace?

My Dear  Rishi,

I tried calling you few times but no one answered the phone. Hope you are doing well and enjoying your holidays.

Today's poem is called, "What is Grace?" I don't know who is the author. I found this poem very helpful over the past five years  and still continue to do so especially now as I am not sure if and when I can see you again. Hopefully one day as you grow older you can visit your old man love.

What is Grace?

Anonymous

When we are sure we can't get through another minute and we do,

that is the Grace of Creator life in us,

When we are sure we can't find the light and we do.,

that is the Grace of the Light of world in us.

When we are sure we can't take one more breadth and we do,

that is the Grace of Spirit breathing through us,

Grace means that we are not alone, we are always accompanied.

Singapore Zoo: May 31st, 2012

I love you Rishi and miss you.

With lots of love, hugs and kisses..

Love,

Daddy

If

My Dear Rishi,

It was fun to be with you for few days. For the past one year I have shared with you various short stories and some personal reflections.  Over they next few months I will be sharing with you various poems and writings which have influenced and shaped my life. I hope someday these poems and writings  will inspire, instruct and transform you.

Rishi, poetry is the language of soul. When I turned 18 my dad gave me a poem by Rudyard Kipling called If. This poem I have read and read many times over the years and always find inspiration.

IF

By Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Rishi, hope you find inspiration just the way I do whenever I  read this poem. I love you and miss
you.

With lots of Love, hugs and kisses,

Daddy