Honoring The Living

My Meditations

I thought a lot about what to write, about whom to write in this meditation on “Honoring The Living”.

I had it in my mind that my grandmother and my mother are good candidates for this post, but as the days went by I reckoned that though my mother does possess some good points but I honestly can't bear her, I can't hear her speak, she makes me mad.

Another person I think of suitable for this post with whom I have a sort of love (or 'respect' would be a more appropriate word) -- hate kind of relationship is my chachaji (younger brother of my father), Yashvir Singh Jain.

So I thought I will make this post about my grandmother mostly, and write a bit about my uncle, and in the end, pay tribute to my mother with some kind words.

After my grandfather passed away in early 2020s, I thought there would be a lot of mess in the family around who gets what from babaji's assets, but there wasn't. And I think the reason behind that is my grandmother, for whom everyone cared and no one spoke about any redistribution. And things were kept and went on as status quo. It would definitely be a painful experience to go through if I have to sit in with my three bua(s) and uncle in a redistribution -- assuming I would be asked for in such a meeting.

Well, the two things that my grandmother teaches me are faith in god, and respect for duty. 
In my view and visibility, religious values in my entire family (my parents, my uncle, and the three bua(s)) came from my late grandfather, and my grandmother. 
I remember from my school days, my grandparents would wake up as early as five in the morning and would be first to show up at the temple while the sun still hasn't come out yet. 
They would return by 7 - 7.30, and then my grandmother would make failed attempts to wake me, would make breakfast for my sister and myself to take to school, and would send us to school. 
And let me tell you that what I was doing then was none of anybody's fault but my own doing: I remember being late to school every once in a while. Or finding myself standing in the defaulters during morning assembly for missing belt, missing ID card, unpolished shoes, untidy nails 😀

~~~

My uncle epitomizes religious values, hard work and discipline (and none of those qualities have brushed on me till -- maybe -- even today)
After my grandfather passed away in my family at Mayur Vihar, my uncle is the seniormost male in the family/my closest circle.
He has been a pillar of support at different moments in my life. 
Though I could spill venom for all the bad times and moments I had with him but this is not the right platform for that, here I come to honor.
And let me tell you one thing -- he is respected by many for a reason.

~~~

My mother:

For one, like others (my grandfather, my grandmother, my uncle), my mother would be one of my role models in adhering to religious discipline and religious values. 

She practices the Jainism way of life.

She could teach me cooking, in fact she has -- a couple of simple recipes like khichdi or aloo tamatar sabzi, for example.
I admire her cooking.

Started on Nov 25th, and completed on Nov 29th.