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