Happy Rakhi - Letter from a Privileged Brother

To My Dearest Didis & Sisters,

First & foremost a very "Happy Rakhi" to you. My sincere regards, love & wishes to all elder sisters and my sincere love, wishes & also regards to my younger sisters! I, for one, never believed that age was a criteria for respecting someone... and hence my regards to all younger ones too for the way they have carried themselves in their lives. We all have a lot to learn, I guess, from everyone.

As time takes a toll, our interactions have been limited; obvious responsibilities and sensibilities of life has encircled us and that is the way it should be! I take this opportunity to recall a few things about all that I treasure and appreciate in you all.

Bordi: I have seen how a person can change for the good. I have seen, how one can brave our society's norms and come up good. I have seen, inspite of challenges & irreparable loss in one's life, how can one retain the capacity of being & doing good. I am biased, I know... but Bordi, I hope you retain the spirit & spark that you always have had and I for one have utmost respect for the same. I hope, that you are able to instill some of the same in Aarisha as well (I hope I have spelled her name, correctly!). Other than my continued moral support, I wish you, your family and your close ones all the happiness, love & joy in the world. You deserve it all.

Chordi: I respect your abilities and your resilience to never bog down. You also faced irreparable loss, which not many can imagine let alone feel, but you have soldiered on. I am sure, Pisimoni will be very proud to see how you have gone and are going about in life. I also appreciate, the way you have stood by your decisions and have gone about realizing the dreams for yourself. I also pray, that Aayan retains the innocence and the spark as he grows up, which is so lost in this mature world. I will remember, the "Naani... Saaap", everytime you came to Durgapur and also the fascination for "Potol" in "Naani's Macher Jhol". I have hardly seen anyone enjoy "Potol" so much! I also wish you, your family and your close ones all the happiness, peace and love in the world. Take care.

Teeny: I respect your guts and your unending determination to reach your goal inspite of obstacles which will overwhelm any ordinary person. I have shared times both good & bad, and found that the ability not to compromise with ones' belief and values has hold you in good stead.You have stayed true to your path, and have made us proud by pursuing your dreams, no matter what! That is a trait worth emulating and do not lose it easily, dear. I always remember the fun frolic we still engage in, the innocence in it lifts me up in gloomy times. Though, we couldn't share much of our time in our childhood, with you being in Kolkata and me in Durgapur, I cherish the 04 years we both spent in Kolkata. With Dad, Maa and you, probably it was those three years we literally stayed together as a family; however our hearts have always remained together and will always be so. Again, I reiterate my best wishes to your future endeavours and hope that you be bestowed with all the happiness, love & dreams in the world.

I also will like to share with you two things, which are the two most unforgettable lessons, life has taught me:

1. There is nothing RIGHT or WRONG in life.

2. Balance is the KEY to a good life.

Let me explain.

Will you call a person good, if he commits murder? No, I suppose... Killing is the worst one can do; I believe it tarnishes one's soul. Hey, but what about a soldier killing a terrorist? If he doesn't, the terrorist will take countless innocent lives. So does it make the killing RIGHT or WRONG? I hope you understand, that in life, there are situations that we face and we respond or react. Time will be a judge as to what will be the result of that action... however, it can never be termed as RIGHT or WRONG. So my advice: Take Tough Decisions, Act upon it with sincerity and Never Dwell on the Result. Move on... that's Life.

Secondly, I read in a Chetan Bhagat's book, that How will it be if you get a promotion on a day you suffer a break-up...or How will it be that you get a huge raise from your company the day you fell ill. There's no point in working hard, if you cannot enjoy the work or the result. So, BALANCE it out. Even, taking the concept explained in Amish Trpathi's book (Shiva Trilogy), "Too much good also turns into evil... it's only a matter of time". BALANCE has always been the KEY to a good life. I have intentionally not mentioned "successful" or "rich", because their meaning varies with situations, with people. So my advice: Live life Sincerely rather than Successfully.

I think that's enough advice for one "heavy" email! 

As we grow old, getting immersed in our daily conundrums, having difference in opinions, do reflect back on the good times; and I hope that the cordialty, respect, love & appreciation remains for one another.

I have sincerely tried to be a fair brother, not ever extravagant, but true and solid when required, to the best of my abilities. I take sincere pride in all my sisters and assure you that will remain unchanged, no matter what!