Welcome back everyone, Baskar Sundaram here. Today is a special day. Today, we celebrate the birthday of my late father, Mr. Sundaram.
Every morning, I light a candle in front of his photo and for one minute, I recite a pair of phrases in Tamil.
எல்லாரும் நல்லா இருக்கணும்
எல்லாருக்கும் எல்லாம் கிடைக்கணும்
This translates to "Everyone should be well. Everyone should get everything."
These are the very words that my father would utter each morning when he woke up, and each night before he went to bed.
When I asked him about it, he told me, "If you develop a habit of praying for others, you will never need to pray for yourself." His wisdom echoed his selflessness.
As for the second line, he explained, "The universe is not fair and it is never going to be fair. Fools, cowards, liars, and the selfish often hide in high places. You have to remind yourself every day to stand up for some things in this world to ensure everyone gets everything."
Yesterday, during my son Kai's parent-teacher meeting, his teacher, Mr. Davies, mentioned something that filled me with immense pride. He said, "Kai is always kind and very curious. He likes questioning maths, science, religious studies - why is it done or said this way?"
Mr. Davies also told me about a school rugby final earlier this week. When high tackles injured Kai's team, he, as the captain, pointed out the unfairness to the referee. Kai received the fair play award, and his team won the finals.
As I stepped out of the school, looking up at the sky, I knew my father was smiling too.
Remember, one of the kindest things you can do for anyone is pray for them. And sometimes, you have to stand up and be counted. If you stand for nothing, you will find nobody against you and nobody for you.
The world changes with each generation, usually because of a few brave and kind individuals who dare to make a difference. So, I encourage you: stay kind, do not fear unpopularity, and dare to make that difference.
#HappyBirthday Appa. Your teachings have kept me standing even when people tried to push me down. You did not drag me up; you brought me up. #ThankYou Appa!
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