Inspiration

I've always been inspired by dad's accomplishments. Every time I think I have it bad, I simply think about dad laying there after his family of 8 is sleeping thinking about what he has to do tomorrow to make us believe that life is good. I think back to him sitting in that park he studied in probably because it was the only thing to keep him sane in the chaos around him. I think back to the times he slept in his apartment in Philly exhausted after working over time in that machine shop taking the bus in the snow. He doesn't think much now, but what must he thought when he left that gate at St Xaviers for the last time, his whole life ahead of him having accomplished more than anyone could have imagined of him and yetnnot even scratching the surface of his own potential. It's hard to imagine, but humbling to acknowledge.

Thank you Pat for paying tribute to Dad. I'm sure his reaction would have been something along the lines of, you went WHERE? Safe travels! Looking forward to the stories!

Will They Follow?

You don't know how your life will inspire the people around you. Dad was one of those people that never missed an opportunity. He took every chance he got, and by chance (and determination) he made it. Anyone that has trekked to Kamalpur could easily see the amount of sheer luck and determination that helped him make it to Calcutta. Anyone that has walked through Calcutta can imagine how hard it must have been for him to remain focused on his goal. One of our neighbors is walking through dad's old stomping grounds in Calcutta. Dad's life has inspired him enough that he detoured on his trip through Asia to see Dad's Calcutta. You never really know how far your actions will go. Dad lived his entire life taking risks and moving forward. His example has been great inspiration to us and the people that knew him.

Thanks Pat for visiting Calcutta (Kolkatta). Send us some pictures.

Dad and his sayings!

I can not believe how much influence Dad has had over me. Today sitting with all my siblings, talking to them about the job market, and realizing that its all about getting help from your network, the first thought that came to my mind was "NoBody Helps me!" in Dad's voice! HAHA! I mean its wonderful how we are keeping his spirit alive in good fun!

I have so many moments in the past couple of years, where my reactions or sayings are always something Dad would have said out of seriousness and I am saying to find comic relief for the current situation. Thank you Dad for all the great sayings and phrases!

Go Pat for trekking through Calcutta, Dad would have been so excited to have a conversation with you about it! Amazing!

Did they make the grade?

As parents, Anish and I have been working quite hard at providing our daughter everything we think she needs to be happy (confidence, love, attention, experiences) and we spend an INSANE amount of time making sure we are doing a good job.  We read parenting books, read blogs, analyze every Rekha move to see if this is a reaction to something... and at the end of the day we grade ourselves on how we did.   In contrast I reflect on how my parents handled the whole parenting task.  I don't think my parents thought at all.  Of course they had 7 kids to raise so they would go crazy if they thought about each of us as much as I think about Rekha.  But in retrospect, my parents didnt plan, didnt purposely do things with us to boost confidence, and certainly didnt read any parenting books.  At the end of their day I am sure they just passed out from exhaustion rather than grading themselves.  So did they do a good job? What grade would I give them? Not sure....

Silent Night

To think that on Monday night Dad was sleeping on a cot in Kamalpur and then on a Wednesday night he was sleeping on a bed or couch of his friends house in America is just unthinkable for me. I wonder what his first impressions were of America? Our dear neighbor is in Calcutta today experiencing the hustle and bustle of a new country and it only made me think about how different each country is. Dad must have been shocked about how quiet it was. Noise was the first thing I noticed when I went to India. Whether it was a cow or an elephant or the nightly bharaths, India never sleeps. That first night in America must have truly been life changing for Dad in so many ways.