REMEMBERING MY DEAR, BELOVED FATHER ON HIS 81st BIRTHDAY

My Papa didn't preach.

He never needed to. He lived his life as a fine example of how it should be led; with courage, simplicity, humility and grace. He possessed an immense amount of inner strength and iron-clad will power to withstand any kind of adversity. People who knew him will vouch for his courage of conviction and tenacious temperament. His abhorrence for any kind of vulgar display of lucre and power was also well known. 

The life-lessons I have learned by just observing how he led his life are invaluable personally and relevant inter-generationally. His magnanimity touched and enriched a number of lives in his lifetime.

His passion was singing, his prized possession his harmonium. His biggest luxury was his Fiat car (loyalty meter ran high). His sole indulgence was the Benarsi paan. And this when he could have very well afforded a fanciful lifestyle. It takes a rare kind of person to 'choose' simplicity over the extravagant, hedonistic way of living.

Life is harsh, especially when it takes away our loved ones. It's up to our hearts to hold all the memories, our minds to stroll through them intermittently and our souls to bask in their glow. You can't bring back to life the ones gone but you can relive them and feel their presence by virtue of fond remembrances.

As I just did!

Happy birthday to you Papa, in heaven and beyond. 
Proud to be your daughter.