Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Even I want to learn
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 !!!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Simple yet powerful
I met this brother in one of the chat sessions.
Till date, it is the first and final conversation we have had. As our talks progressed, it unfolded that he is out of his country for studies; he further disclosed that he has stopped offering Namaz five times a day, as his hectic schedule in college doesn’t allow him to do so. Without talking too much in depth, we did agree on how much easy living becomes when we include Allah in our day to day tasks. As we spoke of Allah every now and then, brother remembered his olden days and perhaps felt that he should start offering his Namaz as regular. He promised to offer Namaz five times a day. As heard often, I just added – “That’s great! Let’s try to remember Allah in every breath. “
Before our chat session could end, this brother asked me of my nationality. I said –‘Indian’. ‘Are you a Muslim?’ was his last question. ‘Yeah’ – was a quick answer.
Since then I haven’t come across this brother. I don’t even remember if I asked his name. But till date that feeling of thankfulness is afresh. Often when I come across souls being particular about any religion, sect, group – I recall your blessings Maalik. Born in a Hindu family, educated in a Christian school, with company of Sikh friends, I was taught to appreciate Allah.
Words fall short to thank you for the bliss that you have brought into my life. May I remember to thank you Maalik!!
And please bless that may we all understand your simple yet powerful and life turning messages!!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Contributions
Lately it unfolds to me that the biggest contribution you can make in anyone's life is by making him/her feel good about himself/ herself, and similarly worst you can do to some one is by hurting his/her self respect.
And when I think of relationships, I feel this is one of the keys.
I haven't left this habit yet but looking forward to a living where I can contribute positively in lives of those around. And that needs your Magical Touch !!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Always remember – He’s.....
Once, a saint and his son were on way to seek Babaji’s darshan. As they crossed a market on their way, the father thought of carrying some mangoes for Babaji. He stopped at a mango shop and started checking the mangoes. The fruit seller showed varieties of mangoes, and also started mentioning about the prices. However the saint wasn’t satisfied with the quality being offered, so before moving to the next shop this saint finally asked fruit seller if he had anything better to offer. Fruit seller mentioned that there was another quality too, which was priced almost double the cost of highest priced quality saint had already seen. Saint expressed his wish to see this quality as well. This quality seemed to be the best, so saint with out a second thought bought One Kilo.
Before saint could pay the price, his son checked if they could buy some mangoes for home too. Saint happily agreed to this request. Saint asked fruit seller to pack one more kilo of mangoes but this time the ones with lowest price. Both son and the fruit seller were surprised to hear. Son however managed to ask another question – Father, if you have seen all qualities and found that one with the highest price is the best among all, the one you also are buying for Babaji, shouldn’t we be taking the same best quality for everyone at home? Or are you short of money?
Father smiled and explained – Son, I have enough money for us to buy another Kilo of the highest priced mangoes but I don’t want to give myself a feel that I am at par with Satguru. Tomorrow, we can come and buy mangoes with better quality and double this price I wouldn’t mind but at this time, when we are buying mangoes for Babaji and also ourselves, we cannot compare with what we are offering Babaji.
When I was hearing this incident from my elder bro, the very first thing I felt was why this saint differentiated? Did he miss seeing Nirankar’s form in his family members? Perhaps not, his expression there was just to give his son a message. A message that my brother gives me often, do not think even in your dreams that you and Guru stand at same level.
Always remember – He’s higher.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
All rounder wish
Dated : 12 April 2007.
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Dear Manik,
We wish in the holy feet of Almighty God that He keeps you in His feet throughout your life and showers all His blessings on you.
May you receive all comforts of life more than you deserve and desire. May your body remain healthy, mind at peace and there should be morethan enough money to serve yourself, your family and all the saints.
May God bless you with 'His darshan', the most precious gift anyone canget in one's life from God!!
Many many happy returns of the day,
With love,
All of us.
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Saturday, May 30, 2009
Atleast One
Ijazat hai? - I asked Dimple bhabhi.
Dimple bhabhi smilingly said - Abhi nahin. Pehle koi baat sunao.
I was in a hurry to leave for home but she insisted that we talk for some more minutes. Amidst our regular talks, she started speaking - bhaiya meri life ka ek nicchod hai jo aapse share karna chahti hoon. If I think of Mummy, I recall her as a mother more than a mother in law. I really enjoyed my relation with her. In our lives, we are daughters to some one, wife to some one, husband to some one, and similary so many relations we have. Bhaiya, waise to sab hi relations enjoy karne chahiye par kam se kam ek rishta aise ho jo aap thoroughly enjoy karo. Life ke end mein agar peeche dekho to ek relation aisa zarur ho jismein aap aap ho.
Don't know why but I understood what she meant.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Ya ! Kind of
“Of course, Stefan... Shoot!” was my reply.
“Are you a Christian?” Stefan asked. I was sitting with Stefan, the business analyst, to discuss some important project work when he stopped me in between. I smiled. Stefan repeated his question.
“Are you a Christian?” this time question was answered “Ya, kind of”. Now Stefan too smiled.
“What does that mean?” was the next question for me. I knew this is not going to be easy. So I picked up the notes, inverted those and drew the diagram. While Stefan watched what I was doing, I started labeling those concentric circles, and spoke –“Every religion consists of three parts, the outer part being mythology, the central being ritual and the inner most being Spiritual Crux. If you go in depth of every religion, the outer two may be different because of time, region etc but the third inner most part is same for all. Be it Catholic, Protestant etc, all of us are trying to follow teachings of Lord Christ. So where’s the difference? Remove styles of eating, dressing, mode of prayer etc etc what remains? We are praying the same Lord, so aren’t we same? Religion for me is just spiritual crux; rest two will change every moment. So, Yes I am a Christian but in normal day to day terms I was born in a Hindu family.”
I never tried to know whether he understood what I spoke. I was busy, caught up with my own thoughts and thanking Almighty, “Wow!! United Kingdom, Financial Institution, Business Analyst, Project Meeting and Spiritual Crux??” I couldn’t have dreamt of speaking all this in such atmosphere. Mind, body and intellect stand apart when you come in picture.
People walking around the bank, carrying pounds in their pockets, crossing with thoughts of mortgages, tax saving schemes – No one knew what these two different colored gentlemen were discussing. Had they heard, they would have understood that a bridge was under construction.
A bridge which can help two hearts to touch each other despite all differences of color, race, language, culture, diet etc.