Happiness from Walks & Talks

I don't recall our full conversation from that day but I cherish the fact that it led to a beautiful and such a precious learning. 

 

Bro and I must have been talking over the topic of happiness in spiritual world. All my life I have heard the importance of practicing what we preach. Also, it is well known fact that, the more we practice, the more happiness it will bring to our lives. Basically, if we practice what we preach, we'll be happier. 

 

Bro too told me something similar that day, however in his own style. "Chottu, our happiness is dependent on what we say and what we do. Our actions need to match with our words, this is crucial for our happiness."

 

He continued, "Sadly, our words are too high and our actions are way too low. They don't match up. There is such a huge gap. And amount of our happiness is inversely proportional to the size of this gap. Since the gap is so huge, amount of our happiness is low. So we need to work on minimizing this gap. We need to bring our actions at par with our words."

 

It sounded as if he was mathematizing all philosophy. Nevertheless, I kept paying attention to what he was saying. " And this is an ideal way of increasing amount of your happiness. But this will take time. But still do it. And meanwhile, try and bring your words at par with your actions. Even this will reduce the gap between your actions and words. And therefore will bring more happiness to your life. You don't have to speak low, but speak less. If you are unable to practice what you preach, then don't preach. Even then you'd be happy."

 

I had never thought like that prior to this conversation. And after that conversation I have never thought any other way. 

 

Practice what you preach. If you cannot practice what you preach, then don't preach. 

 

From that day onwards, I have tried to apply the simple formula of preaching less. It perhaps hasn't raised the level of my practicing but definitely has added to my happiness. ;) 

Lift to LEVEL 0

Although the office is just one floor above the parking level, I take lift these days. Reason being faulty door that leads to the stair case.

I have been using lift for week or so now, and have also used it in past but yesterday something caught my attention - the safety advisory inside the lift which read:

"Life is equipped with automatic recovery mechanism. Do not Panic."

Something didn't fit in, I had to re-read the board and this is what I read on second attempt:

"Lift is equipped with automatic recovery mechanism. Do not Panic."

Now, this made some logic. When you are inside in the lift, you are bound to get some instructions on using the lift.

I couldn't control my smile on what I had read at first. Perhaps a reminder to tell me that there is nothing to panic.

As I often do, I was caught up in some thoughts about xyz thing which I can't remember now. But I'm sure I was not at ease. And this reminder made me ponder, do I really need to be serious of the current situation? After all Life is in an automatic recovery mode where God is doing everything to ensure that the travel in human form would continue happily and without any hiccups. However the only hiccups I witness are due to my panicking. All we need to do at times is just give it some time.

I recall Bro telling me there is no problem showing that you are concerned, but do not be concerned. We are likely to feel the pressure of the situations, but how well we can cope up is our own ability. The more attached we are to the situation, chances are more panic we would create but if we understand this too shall pass, same situation does not harm us.

However easier said than done! 

But I pray, I hope, I wish that our faiths be strong enough to keep us walking. And source of this strength is none other than You. 

Therefore hold my hand as I travel through this human lift! I mean human life.

Aga, I & the Moments of The Truth

While at client site, I had an opportunity to meet Aga.

Aga - a young, beautiful, charming lady who sat at the restaurant till. We exchanged smiles whenever we met; soon the smiles turned into conversations. Normally people would spend a minute or less to know the bill amount and transact. But for me, transactions were not only monetary therefore would never end in a minute. I stood there to know how her work was going, how her family was doing, when was her next trip to Poland where she belonged to etc etc. Sitting at the till, she would also enquire about my work, my wife, my family back in India, if I was missing my family etc etc. People standing behind me in the queue would at times also change tills. Friends who accompanied me for breakfast would keeping waiting until I finished my conversations with this charming lady. They often teased me because it was very unusual scene there, someone from India interacting with a young lady at the till that too when there was no direct business involved. Aga and I definitely had a bond – but of course not like they had imagined. We had had many Moments of The Truth which perhaps I couldn’t explain to all my friends. Few such Moments I thought of putting down.  

I had received Rakhies from sisters in India, and was wondering how I should tie those. Somehow I felt it would be quite boring to tie those by myself. I started to scan list of ladies I knew in my neighborhood, ladies who wouldn’t mind doing that and of course who’d value the bond. One particular name that flashed was Aga. Subscribing to the thought, I approached Aga and asked if she could meet me sometime during the day as I had some important task for her. She was surprised but gave me some slot when she would be at break. I reached as per the slot, carrying Rakhi and few chocolates in my hand. I started to explain her what was Rakhi festival, what tying of the thread signified etc. She was quite pleased to know that I thought so high of her, and wanted her to fulfill responsibility of a sister. But in a minute she said, ”Sorry” to me. Before I could interpret why so, she started to explain that they were not allowed to tie anything on their wrists while at work. I smiled as I realized that I had forgotten to tell her that it was I who needed to carry threads on the wrist, not her! I cleared the misunderstanding, and finally she tied a Rakhi to me. I gave her chocolates to share with others. I was happy to meet my “Universal Sister”.

An year passed on, it was Rakhi time again. It wasn’t so difficult this time to get her slot for the Thread festival. She tied Rakhi on my wrist. But in return this time, I had no gift to give to her. So I opened my wallet, and took out a 10 pound note and passed it to her. She refused to take the note despite many pressures from my side, and later asked “Are you my brother?”. I answered in a nod. “Will you give me what gift I want?”. Now this time she surprised me, but casually I said “Yes”. “Give a me a big smile, that is what I want in return” – my ears heard this statement in a second. I smiled, and looking at me she smiled. We hugged each other – Universal brother and Universal sister – The moment was of the Truth! I really admired how she embraced “my” culture, “my” festival despite her upbringing in “different” religion, “different” culture, “different” country. I learnt Universality from her.

In same year, on Aga’s birthday I sat on Facebook to wish her “Happy Birthday” . I typed it and was about to send when a thought clicked to me. Why not send wishes in Polish. She would love to see a message in her own language. Since I don’t know Polish, I took help of Google translator and sent her a message in Polish. During the day I also met at her work, and wished her birthday again. She didn’t talk of my wish on FB, so I also didn’t touch the topic. When I returned home and checked my FB messages, I saw there was a reply from Aga. I really got excited to unfold how she would have expressed her love to receive those wishes. But as soon as I opened her message, all excitement died off. Quite surprisingly she hadn’t expressed anything in particular for me using polish language but had simply written, “aapakaa bahut bahut dhanyavaad J”. Oh my God was my reaction – Another moment of the Truth! Looking at my Facebook profile, I kept thinking how easy it was to bridge differences of languages with mutual respect and love. Having lived in cities where people were so proud of their native languages, proud to the extent that they would even fight to prove superiority of their language, this incident was a reminder that love comes first. And wherever love comes first, the barriers created based on differences of regions, languages, religions etc automatically vanish.

Quite a time, I sincerely pray as the bollywood song goes, “…. Rab kare tujhko bhi pyaar ho jaaye”.  If only man would have understood the message of Love, our world would not witness the walls in minds of individuals due to differences in religion, region, nation, language, etc. This world itself would have become a Heaven.

Any field, but..

Last night I was running short of ideas for writing something for Shukar Series. So asked my brother, "Bro, if you had one thing to thank Satguru for, what would it be?". I wasn't surprised when he replied back with his usual humour " That Chottu is my brother". Knowing myself well, I knew he was trying to ignore the question by putting some weird answer. Well this is part 1 of the story.

Part 2 dates back to 1997 when I attended college. One of my favorites just because of one sentence has been Mrs Krishna Kaul. Then middle aged English lecturer once mentioned, "Go in whatever field you like Arts, Science, Music, it wont matter but make sure you excel. Excel so that you cannot be replaced." Years have passed by since then but mind still has an impression of this lecture actually one sentence of hers.

Last night as soon as Part 1 transpired, memories of Part 2 followed. Leaving the professional front aside for some moments, was relating this sentence to what Sheelu said. How wonderful would it be if I could excel in my relations? Brother, mother, father, sister, wife, friend, children proclaim that we couldn't have any better relationship than that with you. If you are brother to one, live relationship such that the brother cannot wish for any better brother. If you are a husband, excel in relationship that wife states that the life is beautiful just with you. If you are a wife, live such that the husband is forced to state that no one other than you. List would go on...whilst it has been easy to put the thoughts, not sure how easy would it be to implement and excel.

Hoping for a meaningful life, filled with excellence.

Hello Brother! Brother!

Years ago, brother and I were walking in Samagam Grounds. Proceedings for the day had just completed and we were on our way to the tents. Inquisitive enough, I asked ‘why do saints get up during dhuni if it is being announced that please remain seated?’ Brother gave me some strange looks as if I had asked something wrong. Without much botheration to understand his gesture, I continued ‘Aren’t they doing wrong?’ I waited to see a Yes or No from his side, but he spoke, ‘aapko pasand nahi to aap mat utho’. When I had expected a Yes or No, I heard a very neutral answer from him that if you don’t like, don’t get up.
No wonder he reminds me often, “Jo kujh tenu changaa lagdea, khaa pi te vastar pa, duniya da updeshak banke, horr na jhagdey pyaa vadhaa “.

Even I want to learn

Chottu, just imagine if you get two gifts from your US friends.

Friend 1 sends you a gift worth 1000 dollars. However, to get that dispatched you need to pay postage worth 100 dollars and to send him an acknowledgment receipt you spend another 100 dollars.

Friend 2 sends you a gift worth 50 dollars. Here you dont have to pay anything.

Which gift would you appreciate more?

Sheelu, my brother, asked me this question on my recent trip to India. Before I could calculate the worth of first gift which was net 800 dollars, he answered himself - I think you should appreciate the gift from Friend 2.

For next hour or so, he mentored me on Unconditional actions - your acts are valuable as long as those are unconditional. The moment you start expecting, holding grudges...anything you have done so far looses its importance. You may do less, but do what ever keeps you grudge-less. Friend 1 might have spent 1000 dollars but his act costed you 200 dollars, however Friend 2 spent less but he did not ask anything in return. Cherish Friend 2 in your life, because his acts are unconditional.

The same thing I have been hearing from him for so many years, and even on this trip while he explained me this old message - I felt as if its new to me. Sheelu perhaps wants me to learn that what ever acts I do are unconditional, are something that I enjoy from core of my heart..no matter even if those are limited. Because this is what will keep me and others around me happy !!

Babaji....Thanks your mentoring !!!