A touching story

This is the story of Ashokji and families of his three sons.

His three sons lived separately from him with their families in different cities.

But Ashok ji had made a rule… on Diwali, all three sons used to come to him with their families… how that one week would pass in fun… no one would know anything.

How what happened…it seemed as if their happiness had vanished. Suddenly Sheela ji suffered a heart attack...all her happiness was shattered in one stroke.

The three sons came running after receiving the sad news. After all his last rites everyone gathered in the evening.

The elder daughter-in-law raised the issue, "Babuji, now how will you be able to live here alone, you come with us."

“No daughter-in-law, let it be here for now. It feels like belonging here. In a household with children….” Saying this he became silent.

The elder son wanted to say something, but he silenced him with a hand gesture.

"Children, now your mother has left us forever. She has some things, you all should divide them among yourselves. We will not be able to take care of her now."

Saying this, Ashok ji took out something from the cupboard.

There was a very beautiful silver jewelery in a velvet bag. There was an old wrist watch with a very beautiful gold strap….

Everyone fell upon such beautiful things together.

The younger son said excitedly, "Amma wanted to give this watch to Sarita."

Ashok ji said softly, "And I have already given everything to you all equally. She was very fond of these two things. She used to take them out with great interest sometimes, but now how can I divide her two things among the three of you." ?"

Everyone started looking at each other.

Then the middle son said with great hesitation, "She often talked about giving this adornment to Meera."

But the problem had already arisen. Now Ashok ji was thinking in his mind...what should I give to the elder daughter-in-law??

Perhaps her elder daughter-in-law read her thoughts, "Babuji, you are probably thinking about me. You give the jewelery to Meera and the watch to Sarita... Amma also wanted the same."

"But Nandini, what should I give you... I don't understand?" Ashok ji said.

“You have another precious thing and Amma ji always wanted to give it to me.”

Everyone's mouths remained open in surprise.

Both the daughters-in-law were very surprised and worried… now which precious box will be opened??

Sensing everyone's surprise and trouble, the elder daughter-in-law said smilingly, "Babuji, you yourself are the most precious." Last time Ammaji had told me, "After me, it will be your responsibility to take care of Babuji." Now you just follow his wish and come with us right now without any delay.

Hearing this, Ashok ji's eyes became moist and the eyes of some present there dropped...!!

A liberating and empowering story

At a 2019 conference, Author, Elizabeth Gilbert shared this story, The great mythologist, Joseph Campbell, who spent his entire life studying the religions of the world, was asked, “What is the definition of sacred?” and “How do human beings make something sacred?” He responded, “It’s the simplest thing in the entire world, and you do not need a priest for it, anybody can do it. Here’s how humans make something sacred: You draw a circle around it and you say everything inside this circle is holy. It’s sacred because you said so. That is called a boundary, and a boundary is not a wall. A boundary is not something that you hide behind. A boundary is a golden circle that you draw around the things that matter to you, and you say everything inside this circle is sacred. If you treat it with respect, you are allowed to come in, but take your shoes off and bow because you are coming into the center of holiness here. And if it’s not, and it’s outside, then what do we say? We say, “I do not care.”

"You get to decide what is sacred. The sacred thing inside the circle can be your time, your creativity, your loved ones, your privacy, your recovery, your values, your mental health, your activism, your joy, your very heart and soul. You yourself can stand at the center of a scared circle that you drew around YOUR VERY OWN BEING, and say,”Everything inside this circle is holy.” Not because you think you’re better than anyone else, but because you have humbly accepted stewardship over the divine and mysterious gift of the universe that is YOU."

Via Courtney Carver : Be More With Less