Lesson I: My neighbor is a tall, stout person. Every morning when my family goes for a terrace run, this man crosses our path. Our terrace is divided into two portions. Our unspoken understanding is, this territory is yours, that territory is mine. In spite of our tacit understanding, he insists on trespassing our path.
To compound the COVID fears; he snorts, belches and coughs. Nowadays as soon as he makes his entry in the terrace, we scamper down the stairs.
Often my family incites me to confront this gentleman but I fear that two reactive minds may snowball this issue into an undesirable confrontation.
As I was meditating today, I realized this man has done us a lot of good to us.
In order to avoid him, we get up early and complete our morning workouts by 6:30 am. Earlier we would get up at 6 am, now we get up at 5 am.
What looks painful from close is a pleasurable experience from a distance.
Thank you neighbor!
Lesson II: I claim to be a Vipassana practitioner. Last evening during our postprandial walks, I started to download all my gyan into my daughter Sagarikka.
You will be in the present. You will be with your senses and will not be a slave of your thoughts. You will eat when you eat, bath when you bath & sleep when you sleep. On & on I yapped.
Then she interjected with one statement, ‘Then why do you always seem to be in a hurry? Even while eating you, seem to be in a rush.’
That was a slap on my face. It is easy to preach but practice is another issue.
Thank you Sagarikka!
Lesson III: Savvy was the guest of honor at a Rotary installation yesterday. As usual, she delivered an outstanding talk. Every one appreciated her ‘Zoomtalk’. Even members of other clubs sent her congratulatory messages. But, my lady was upset. ‘My club did not recognize my delivery. What harm have I done? The whole world applauds but my club refrains from acknowledging.’
I gave her pep talks, ‘be curious & open to life but don’t be attached to the consequences.’ As usual, it fell on deaf ears.
In the morning, Savvy decided to give it all to the club president. Just as she was getting ready to deliver, she got a whatsapp post.
It was a story about a conversation between Valmiki & Hanuman.
Valmiki was upset. ‘I gave it all to write Ramacharitramans (Ramayana), but your version seems to be getting mileage; Hanuman. Let me read your version’.
Valmiki started to read the texts written on palmyra leaves. It was moving and touching. On reading it, Valmiki wept profusely. ‘I could never write like that’ he said.
Hanuman collected the leaves and tore them before Valmiki could protest.
‘Why did you do that Hanuman?’ enquired Valmiki.
‘I wrote my Ramayana for the love of Rama, you wrote yours for popularity.’
Savvy read out the post and said, ‘I spoke for validity not for the love of Rotary. I am not going to call up the club President.’
Thank you Hanuman!
I hope you enjoyed these three stories. I would love to get your feedback.
Shiv signing off from S & S Family First.
