remembering papaji

14th august, a decade ago, i lost the person who inspired me the most in my life. Papaji or Pops as i would lovingly call him.

Seems like time either has just stopped or passed away so quickly. His words keep ringing every time i think about him. Specially when i drive my car, Papaji's words ring clearly. He is the one who insisted that i learn to drive. Beta, he would say, driving by yourself will make you independent and give you sense of responsibility. If you are independent, you will be confident he said. Today i feel very independent and confident. He was the one who taught me to drive. I was scared not of driving but Papaji. He was a perfectionist. So wanted me to drive just the way he insisted. Even today i feel  his slap on my hand on the steering wheel if i don't drive his way.

Luckily for me, i did not give up learning from him. Whether it was driving or long discussions on our morning walks, i enjoyed every bit of our time spent together. From him i learnt punctuality, humility, modesty and how to enjoy life to its fullest. Spending time in the hills during summer vacations, still is something i am addicted to, thanks to Pops.

He was a disciplinarian, maybe a strict parent, but i loved the way he made up with us kids after his anger had gone. Papaji cooked excellent mutton curry and made mango ice cream in the wooden ice cream maker. Remember waiting anxiously till all of us churned the ice cream mix and let it set. Was he teaching hard work or patience. I think both.

I dedicate my thoughts , remember him and thank him from the bottom of my heart.

My book

As far as I can remember, I always wanted to compile all the strategies that worked with my special children. Whenever a student came to me, somehow I could exactly discover what would work and what would'nt. AsI tried out these strategies, sucess flowed with ease.

These thoughts got stored in my brain and I started jotting them down, hoping one day to put them all in a book. Over the years they got reinforced and more established.

Success stories, kept happening and in the past two decades, the young adults whom I worked with as little kids have far surpassed my expectations. When I meet them now, my heart swells with pride to be with their success and hopes.

My mantra all along with these kids was "never ever give up"  It worked like magic, because all special kids need is someone to believe in them.Since they lose hope, someone reinforcing it for them, stills faith in that person as well as themselves.

People working with special kids need to have faith in themselves, firstly if they want to transfer it to the kids. They need to have goals, however small, remained focussed and move. Self motivation, goes a long way, so unless we motivate ourselves to play our role well, sucess will elude us.

The book, helps me to be motivated further, and hope it does to everyone who will read it.