Kids Corner

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Faith

Oh God! How I Wish ...

by PAVNEET KAUR

 

 

"Oh God! How I wish ...!"

We have used this expression so many times. In fact, if I were to talk about myself, I use these five words almost every day.

Our wishes never end.

Every day, every minute and every second, it's something or the other that catches our fancy and we pray: "Oh! How I wish I could have that?" At least I do this all the time.

Life is a tumultuous path of circumstances and conditions, it is unexpected and unpredictable and just when we think: okay, things are going good, it hits us in unimaginable ways.

Where do we find the calm then, that peace to make sound decisions? After all, life is all about choices. Every situation can
be broken down into choices. It is a fork in the road and we need to select the right bend, the right side.

How do we make the best choice and what is the best choice?

I firmly believe that we can make the best decision when we‘re at peace, when calmness surrounds us. Isn't it true?

I am most at peace when I pray.

In Sikhi, a lot of importance is placed on SatSangat and Naam.

Most of us attend kirtan-samagams (congregations) and try our best to meditate on our paatths and banis the Gurus blessed us with. It is a very personal experience and the effect of following such a routine is personal for an individual, though if you're close to such a person, you can see the effects very clearly.

I remember as kids, my brother and I would tag along with our mom, to attend the samagams, which would happen near our place. Initially, it would be about the karrah parshad or about other succulent treats we would inevitably get there.

But then I found myself looking forward to such evenings, spent in silence, just listening to the sweet, honeyed bani wash over you. I think I am a little selfish in this respect that this brings me peace and the calmness to be myself. So I always look for such occasions to escape the mundane of reality: the real life.

As a family, we have faced tough times and it's only by His grace that we have been able to get through it. I firmly believe that if a man meditates regularly, God guides us, He guides our actions and then everything is smooth and fine. Even if it is not, one finds the strength to move on and finds the trust that things would be fine soon.

Trust me, I can vouch for this fact. I am not a saint, seriously! I just try and meditate regularly. I do the Japji Sahib, Tew Parsad Sawaiy-ye and Shabad Haazare. When I get anxious about something, I read the Chaupaee Sahib. You cannot believe how many times I have read this paatth in my mind before important interviews and vivas .

When I pray, I pray to God in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib, and invoke the blessings of the other Gurus as well. I have a collection of gurbani in my mobile and whenever I face a tough situation at work, I just put on my head sets and listen to
shabads and my mind which would be racing and angered a few moments back, would become at peace again.

Maybe this is selfish. I look for such opportunities to find that peace.

This has only strengthened my belief in God. I know that He is with me, and I am safe.

"Sajanraa mera Sajanraa/ nikat khaloida mera sajanraa"

I have often heard this shabad and believe it, that once you start meditating, when we take His name, He inevitably brings us closer to Him. That, we then are in this sanctum of peace, in the circle of His protection, playing in His lap as children and laughing, happy, so happy!

 

[Paveneet Kaur is an engineer based in New Delhi, India.] 

October 21, 2010

Conversation about this article

1: S.S.N. (Georgia, U.S.A.), October 21, 2010, 11:42 PM.

Definitely a good read. A great read. Please keep writing such articles and keep providing us glimpses into the lives of young Sikhs in India.

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