Giving, Sharing and Always Celebrating Papa!

Because someone we love is in heaven, there’s a little bit of heaven in our life… Happy 78th Birthday in heaven Pa!

The weight of my father’s death is heaviest in June, the month in which he left for a better world and then in Jan, his birthday month. When someone you love moves on, your heart hurts so much it feels like the pain will never go away. It felt just like this having lost Papa and after wallowing for an year with no reprieve, I decided to stop wallowing and start celebrating my beautiful 43 years with Papa. 

When we celebrate the life of our loved one, we’re looking back at the life they lived and our life together. The rest… the rest is just incidentals. Pa loved live and it loved him right back. I celebrate his zeal for life and what gave our relationship so much meaning - the joy he brought in my life, the abundance of love that he showered on me and everything he taught me about giving more, sharing more, loving more, helping more......and it magically brings happiness, peace, love, immense satisfaction and connects me in a new way with Papa ....And the smiles, blessings and love that I get in return from those that I embrace or touch with kindness, warms my heart, the same way as papa‘s hugs.

Papa may be gone from the physical world, but he will always be in my heart. He is loved more than he will ever know & his birthday will always be special. This day is yet another reminder of how lucky I am to be blessed with such an amazing man for my Papa. And there can be no better way to celebrate this remarkable man who once graced my life than by saying a prayer, giving and sharing and off course smiling more. Here is the photo story of my blessed day of celebrating my Pa.

The celebration began as the clock chimed 12am at midnight, with Papa’s first grandson (my son) playing the ‘happy birthday' melody for his Grand Pa followed by seeing some old albums and reliving those times.... I slept with a smile on my face. Make more memories- It is the greatest gifts that God has ever given us. They allow us to live one moment one thousand times over. 

I got up early in his birthday just as we did when Pa was here.... and started the day with prayers at the Gurudwara. It was serene and I gave my love sealed with hug for Papa to Babaji, to deliver it to him in heaven. And like always, I had mine and Papa’s share of the delicious ‘Kada Prasad’.

When I reached home, Sumit, my husband, surprised me with beautiful bouquet of flowers for you and we put them with Pa's picture. Know what, I could feel Papa smile.... and like always, he looked so handsome with not a hair out of place. It felt that he was right there with me...

The day got even more beautiful thereafter as it was all about sharing and giving. We shared our joy with the 150+ inhabitants of the Leprosy colony in Delhi by treating them for Pa’s birthday, with all his favourite dishes. It was heartening to see them savour the meal & their blessings and smiles were priceless. 

The evening snack time, together with blanket distribution, was with the 750 inhabitants at the not-for-profit, The Earth Saviours Foundation. What an evening of dance, music, celebration with heart full of love and smiling face. The blankets sure will give reprieve to these wonderful people from the harsh cold of Delhi, just way Papa’s hug gave me the reprieve from any challenge. The snacks that we served here too were Papa’s favourite - hot & crisp, vegetable fritters and delicious halwa....

Papa always told me, “the poor, the hungry, and the afflicted suffer each day. If you perceive that someone needs help and it is within “the power of your hand” to assist, do it. Your kindness and compassionate actions will be blessed. Set aside something every week, every month and on special days, to give back for the abundance and blessings in your life”. And I live his words consistently but Papa’s birthday, had to be more than every other day. As I celebrated Papa’s birthday with the lesser privileged, I hope he knows what a good father he was, how much he taught me and the morals he instilled in me. My heart rejoices to live the way he showed me to live...

In between the Leprosy colony meal and Earth Saviours snacks time, we went for family lunch celebration too??, just the way we did, when Papa was alive. It was glorious January afternoon - bright, clear and sunny ... and everything was perfect - yummy food, fun conversations, super company and sinfully delicious cake. I cut the cake on Pa’s behalf because I know without doubt I was his favorite ??. Of course, it was chocolate cake, your favourite flavor. And my first bite was for Papa. For his love, strength, generosity and wisdom. Sumit, my husband, raised a toast for Pa & as I raised my glass of virgin toddy to the skies, I thought about Pa again, sent him love and more love.

And as I did that, I felt something special in the wind.

It felt like it was my Papa. And then, all I wanted was for him to stay.

As I turned to the skies it was plain to see.

I could see him smiling down on me.

I remember him every day & more so on this important day.

My feelings of love and gratitude to be blessed with the worlds bestest Pa will never go away.

So much of me is made from what I learnt from Papa. He will always be with me, like the hum of love and kindness in my heart, and the hand prints of giving, sharing in my hands.... and I will always celebrate his life with us and thereafter too??. If I could sit across the porch from God, I’d thank Him for lending me my Pa for 43 glorious years of my life with him and life lessons and memories to last a lifetime.

Miss you Pa. You are more loved than you will ever know.....