She lives on

My mother Swaran Kaur ji passed on in life last year.  It seems that mothers may leave us physically but never leave us spiritually.

After the funeral and the departure all the friends and relatives, I walked alone through the rooms of her house. Even with the Mistress gone the home seemed to exude an energy, as if she was still there. I rationalised that, when disturbed or excited the human mind can conjure up anything the heart desires. So I let the feeling pass. 

Mom had cultivated and nurtured many plants in her home and on the terrace. Well I was the only one there so I took care of the many plants.  

 After a few days I took the plants to my own home. It was then, when my terrace garden came alive that I realised that the very same energy I had sensed at her home were also present in these very plants. 

Spiritual by Eduardo Rodríguez Calzado

I suddenly experienced that Mother lives on in our lives. Her love and energy had permeated into our lives, and influences my thoughts, words and deeds, and now through these plants.  The energy and love she poured into me and many others was the same that these plants had also received. The flowers, the herbs and the aroma fills not only my senses but also my being.

Everything we think, feel, say or do has consequences, because it is manifested in this universe. 

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, just its form gets transformed. 

If we are lucky we find our life mostly spent in the company of people with energy that makes us better, stronger, and yet more spiritual. 

I know not what happens to people when they pass on and I am comfortable with that. All I know is mother left a lovely trail within me to journey on. What more can one ask from the divine?

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I rarely attend social events, birthday or anniversary parties, etc. but when I do, I never present a bouquet of flowers, for they will wither and die in a couple of days. I  like to present my hosts with something with meaning and life. A small potted plant is perfect. Something that will grow, and enrich their lives.

'Ubuntu' - I am, because we are

An  anthropologist who had been studying the Xhosa people of Africa, was leaving to return home when he had a revealing experience, which he narrated.

While waiting for his ride, he decided to play a game with the little children who milled around him.  He placed some sweets in a basket, and tied the basket under a tree a small distance away. He asked the children to play a game and run a race. Upon his signal the children were to run to the tree and collect the sweets. Winner was to take all.

When he said “Go!” the kids ran towards each other and held hands, and together they ran off towards the tree. The untied the basket and happily shared the sweets amongst themselves. 

The Anthropologist was pleasantly surprised. He asked the children to explain what they did and why?
A young girl simply replied: “How can one of us be happy if all the others are sad?”

The anthropologist was dumbfounded! For months and months he’d been studying the tribe, yet it was only now that he really understood their true essence…

“Africans have a belief called Ubuntu (oo-boon-too, n.) which means, “I am because we are." The individual is a part of the whole universe, a part of other people and all living things, and they cannot be treated separately.

For centuries, many people have considered the people of Africa backward. When one witnesses such great wisdom and humanity, it makes one wonder who really is backward?

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” ~ African Proverb

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Source:  “This is the Age of Ubuntu” from The noble Sikh Hari Singh. I am deeply grateful to my friend Bobby Basu for introducing me to the concept of Ubuntu.