Suspended Coffees

My Dear Rishi,

It has been rather interesting " monosyllable conversations lately. All I want you to understand son is that "I love you from here to the moon and back". Miss you very much Rishi!

Few days back I came across very interesting situation which demonstrated "Compassion in Action". I could not have written about compassion in action more effectively.

 

Suspended Coffee
 

 



I entered a little coffee shop with a friend of mine and gave our order. While were approaching our table,  two people came in and they went to the counter and ordered: ‘Five coffees. Two for us and three suspended, please! They paid for seven cupos of coffee, took their respective cups of coffee and left.

I asked my friend: “What are those ‘suspended’ coffees?”
My friend said : “Wait, Observe and Learn.”

Some more people entered, The next order was for seven coffees and it was made by two doctors- two for them and five ‘suspended’. While I was still wondering what on earth was a ‘suspended’ coffees as  I was sipping my coffee, enjoying bright  sunny spring morning and the beautiful view towards the square in front of the cafe. Suddenly an old man dressed in shabby clothes who looked like a beggar came in through the door and asked, " Do you have any suspended coffee?’ The lady behind the counter gave the old man a cup of warm coffee and a bagel. The old man thanked the lady behind the counter and left the cafe.

It’s simple - people pay in advance for a coffee meant for someone who can not afford a warm beverage. The tradition of the suspended coffees, as I understand the tradition was born in the cafes of Italy's southern city of Naples,  people pay in advance for one or several coffees without drinking them. The concept of "Suspended Cafes" has spread all over the world and in some places you can order not only a suspended coffee, but also a sandwich or a whole meal.

Rishi, Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have such cafes or even grocery stores in every city, town around the world where the less fortunate will find hope and support? We humans can take care of each other. It is like bringing "Human Values" to the Humanity.  I hope and wish you learn to be more compassionate and loving person.  Holiness the Dalia Lama, says the following about Compassion and Love:

Compassion and love are not mere luxuries. As a source of both inner and outer peace, they are fundamental to the continued survival of our species."

With lots of love, hugs and best wishes,

Daddy

P.S: I love you and miss you Rishi!

Power of Compassion

My Dear Rishi,

It has been sometime since I wrote to you. I have been going through rather, let's say challenging time. During this time I have never missed a moment where I did not think about you or miss you love.

Words are not enough to even begin describing how much I miss you son. All the things what a father and son take it for granted i.e. playing, walking to school, reading bed time stories, watching a ball game or hugging, building a snowman or playing in snow, bonding etc has been taken away from us, love. I miss you and love you very much.  I just try to tell myself, "The will of God will not take us to places, where his grace will not protect us". I have faith in that God...there is a reason for this gulf between us and only time will tell us although it may not give back us what we have lost but it will give us an opportunity to build in future. That is my hope, that is my prayer, in that I have faith my love.

Today's story is about compassion and demonstrates the power of compassion. I read this story when I was about 12 years old. Although, it took next 20 years for me to understand the true meaning of this story. 

During the time of the Buddha, there was a notorious robber by name of Angulimal who had mercilessly taken hundreds of lives. Angulimal (translated finger-garland) wore a garland made out of one finger of each of his victims. He was a terror and everyone in the village dreaded him. One day, as the Buddha was walking with his disciple, he was stopped by Angulimal, who announced that he was going to take Buddha’s life and adorn his finger in his garland as well.

The Buddha calmly responded “Sure you may take my life, but please fulfill my wish before dying”
“What do you want” asked Angulimal.
“Cut off the branch of that tree” said the Buddha.
In just one slash of Angulimal’s sword the branch came down.
“What now” asked Angulimal.
“Put the branch back on!” said the Buddha.
The bandit laughed. "You must be mad to think that anyone can do that."

The Buddha said “You can cut off my head, however can you give me life back? If you cannot give me life, what right do you have to take it? You think you are mighty because you can wound and destroy others? Any child could have broken of the branch of that tree. The mighty people of the world do not destroy . The truly mighty know how to create and heal”.

Angulimal experienced a deep silence within. He threw away his sword and garland, and fell at Buddha’s feet and said “I never thought about it, that any mediocre person can destroy, and only those with mighty hearts create. Please accept me as your disciple”.

The Buddha embraced Angulimal and initiated him. A violent criminal thus began the process of transformation into a gentle sage. No one is an eternal rogue. Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.

 

 

Hope and wish you bring compassion and love in your life. I miss you Rishi!!

 

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

 

Daddy

 

 

Five Lessons for Life

My Dear Rishi,

Hope we can talk later in the evening. Hope you had a great weekend. I am looking forward to speaking to you today.

Few years back I wrote something and wanted to share with you. I wrote this at one of my lowest points in life.

FIVE LESSONS FOR LIFE

(1 :15am July 19^th , 2009)

1.        Everything changes and ends: If there is a beginning than there will be an end. Change happens continuously between the beginning and end; and this is what we call life.

2.      Things do not go always according to plan: If you believe in god and if you want to make god laugh please do share your plans

3.      Life is always not fair but you treat everyone with compassion, kindness, acceptance, empathy and loving them unconditionally.

4.      Pain is part of life but do not give pain to others, if someone crosses your path even for few seconds ensure that you cover their path with rose petals.

5.      People are not loving and loyal all the time but you always be loving and loyal to them under any circumstances because end of the day you only have control over your actions, your choices. You cannot control other person or choose for them, don’t let other people’s actions determine your actions. In any situation you will always have a choice, a choice to walk the higher road or not. In this lies our freedom, freedom to choose.

Rishi, hope some day you realize the value of this although I must warn you, this path is very tough, very lonely. Rishi, I miss you very much love.

With lots of love, hugs and kisses.

Daddy

Understanding and Compassion in Action

My Dear Rishi,

Let's continue the journey of understanding and compassion. I recently stumbled upon a story of understanding and compassion in action.

In 1976 Special Olympics was held in Sponkane, Washington. During a track and field event one of the nine contestants,  taking part in the race fell down after taking few steps because of his handicap. He tried to get up but he fell again. Two of the contestants saw the fallen contestant and came to his rescue. They  helped him to his feet and together they crossed the line. The audience rose to their feet and gave a standing ovation.

Rishi, here is a beautiful example of understanding and compassion in action. The two contestants chose the spirit of cooperation over competition. When we are aligned to cooperate with understanding our compassion lights our lives. We need more understanding and love to sustain this humanity.  His Holiness the Dalia Lama put this concept of "Compassion in Action" much more eloquently, "It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. There are two aspects to action. One is to overcame the distortions and afflictions of your own mind, that is, in terms of calming and eventually dispelling anger. This is action out of compassion. The other is more social, more public. When something needs to be done in the world to rectify the wrongs, if one is really concerned with benefiting others, one needs to be engaged, involved"

Rishi, hope and wish you some day be the beacon of compassion in action. I love you very much and miss you.

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

Daddy
 

Prayer of Understanding

My Dear Rishi,

I wanted to begin this year focusing on, "Understanding and Compassion". Hope, some day you will learn the true meaning and value of these two very powerful words.  Over the course of this year I will share with you some personal experiences, interesting writings I have read from wiser people who have walked this path quite ahead of me and longer than I have. Let me begin this journey of letters with a prayer, I read few days ago it is called, "Prayer of Understanding" By Abby Willowroot.  I took the liberty of making some minor changes but the essence of the poem is kept same. (I hope author forgives me for taking this liberty).

 

Prayer of Understanding



 By Abby Willowroot
 

May I come to Understand

that blessings are everywhere,

that my attitude will effect outcomes,

that challenges are often gifts in disguise.

 

May I come to Trust

that most things can get better, with time,

that a positive attitude make things go smoother.

 

May I come to See

that our skills and talents can be put to help others

that I am a positive influence on many people

that I am surrounded by people who wish me well.

 

May I come to Value

that today is a blessing to be enjoyed,

that each person is unique & important

that each moment of our lives has a meaning

 

Rishi, understanding intellectually will take you to a certain level but understanding with compassion and your heart will free you from you the trappings of this mind and intellectual crutches. Hope you transcend your mind and learn to lead life from a place of compassionate heart.

With lots of love, hugs and kisses,

Daddy



 





 

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.