A few days before I was asked to write on this blog, I had been reading the dissenting voices, the passionate and hard hitting exchanges, and yet what I saw after my first blog was the amazing grace of strangers who welcomed me to this fold, with warmth and a cyber embrace. Thank you very much.

Sometimes back I was at a seminar and, what caught my attention was the speech by a leading attorney and speaker from Canada. He spoke of his personal interpretation of Guru Nanak’s teachings, and repeatedly mentioned the word “barkat”. While barkat means growth and prosperity through unexplained blessings, it brought home to me thoughts of the little miracles, the power of prayer and the amazing grace that is offered to us in our journey, especially when we stumble or find ourselves in a dark space in life, uncertain of how to proceed.

Perhaps the biggest truth in my life has been the uncanny coincidence with which I have received that “barkat”, that grace, each time I made an effort to help, every time I have lived honestly, or shown compassion and kindness. Each time I have stood for what I truthfully believed in, doors have opened and the blessings have poured in.

I saw that generosity of spirit in my parents too. Growing up, there were times I would ask my folks for something, like all kids do. Sometimes I would be told “We can’t afford that”, and my sister and I somehow knew instinctively never to throw a tantrum or ask for it again. Many years later, I found out the reason why. One day as a teenager I happened to see a letter addressed to my father in Hindi by a woman. In it she wrote-“Your son is now a physician and wants to come and seek your blessings” A son? That I didn’t know about? Hmm and I thought dad said mom was the first woman he met, and decided to marry! While I was busy raising my eyebrows at the letter, mom came in and told me that the “son” belonged to one of dad’s soldiers who had died in the 1971 war. Dad had adopted the boy as part of the rehabilitation process for his wife, spent a huge chunk of his salary educating him in the best institutions in India, so he could take care of his mother and help his four sisters get married. That is why, said mom, we had to say “No” to you and your sister when you asked for something. Those times the money was going into that boy’s tuition.” I think just that one act of kindness alone has come back as multifold blessings to my parents in so many ways.

In my own life I have had the amazing grace of having truly wonderful friends. They have stood by me, and helped me through so much. But more than that through some of the hardest times, it has been the kindness of strangers that has blown me away. And that is an even greater miracle. When you perform an act of kindness, the reciprocal gesture may not necessarily come from the same person, but I know this for sure- it comes back multifold.

A few years ago, a friend of mine was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer. I had to raise $ 1800 to be eligible to participate in a grueling 60 miles walk, outdoors in the heat for three days. The first day after we had covered the 20 miles, the participants were given access to a chiropractor and masseurs. Since I had trained well, I was not as tired as most people I saw behind me. Many had blisters on their feet. I kept sending people behind me out of turn for massage. The masseurs focused on specific areas of the body, the massage lasted 10 minutes, since there was no time for a full body massage. Unknown to me, a masseur was noting that I was sending people behind me ahead out of turn. Half an hour later she asked me to come in, and gave me a full body massage for 35 minutes, “for putting others before you.” That is why I believe even random acts of kindness come back to bless you. I was a whole new person after that massage-ready to tackle another 20 miles right away!

Not just that, I had started my fund raising quite late, not having seen the fine print on my application. With barely 45 days to go, I still managed to raise close to $ 5000. The biggest checks came from strangers because a friend of mine, who I didn’t know as closely as I do now, , got behind my efforts, cut me a huge personal check, and then got her son, his friends to stuff my letter of appeal in mail boxes in different subdivisions.

I see other close friends doing their bit for worthy causes-raising funds for a hospice in Jaipur that treats lepers or funding the education of so many kids from their village back home in Rajasthan. Their home here too, is open to all and they are there for anyone who needs shelter or help of any kind. And they are always there for me. All my close friends are wonderful, giving human beings, but for me the amazing grace is that all of them are in my life together and add to it in the most positive way. I know of so many others who are not so lucky.

I hope all of us will remember that while life throws many curveballs, the bend in the road is not the end of the road. Our eyes are often veiled by fear, confusion, ego and a desire for instant gratification of what ever it is we want at that time, and to argue and argue so we can be the ones to have that last word: but if we took the time we will find, there is amazing grace that forgives us our failings and reaches out to raise us each time we stumble and fall.

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