Sewa
To be a Sikh, a follower of teachings of Ten Sikh Gurus which are incorporated in one and only Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, means to do Sewa - care for others selflessly. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji says (SGGSJ p1342)
Selfless service and intuitive awareness come by reflecting upon the Word of the Shabad.
Chanting, intensive meditation and austere self-discipline come by subduing the ego.
One becomes Jivan-mukta - liberated while yet alive, by listening to the Shabad.
Living a truthful way of life, one finds true peace. ||7||
With Guru’s apaar Kirpa; I possess reasonably good health for my age and the amount of work load I carry on my shoulders. Well some of the health problems just are part of all moms. So I was not spared; after years of living with this problem; I decided to take care of it once and for ever. So I decided to go under the knife this last Friday. The pain was sharp; so sharp that I learnt why it is called ‘pain in the butt’ for excruciating pain. I looked at my face in the mirror & could tell that it is visible in my eyes.
Now I had two options – take a Viccodine and sleep it off on the weekend or take my mind off the pain…somehow. The other day I was telling my friend; who is first-time pregnant and is afraid of injections; “Waheguru da dhiayaan dharo; dard mehsoos nahi hovega”. Now it was my turn to take my own advice….for sometime I was so tempted to open that prescription bottle and take it down the throat; but then looked at my chidlren’s faces whom I promised to take swimming just a day before, without realizing that I will be in so much agony. I took a deep breath, thinking still about the above advice and began Simran in my mind; nonetheless it did not relieve any pain immediately …. I continued with this one remedy I knew of…picked the children from Summer Day Camp; gave them snack while I prepared the swim bag & off we went swimming.
It was one and a half hour lesson for three of them. I sat beside the pool, watched them play in water; listening to their instructor that how good is my older son who can be a winner on swim team; watching the middle one, my daughter; doing successfully breast stroke and crossing the pool, the younger daughter bubbling with pride as she dived to pick ten rings from the floor of the spa; enjoying the breeze by the pool while temperature was still three-digit outside….I almost forgot my pain.
When Singh Ji came home, he was little upset; knowing that I put myself through unnecessary pain; when things can wait….but I had learnt that taking my mind off my pain through Sewa and Simran; is the only remedy for me…so I continued with regular chores for my family…that night and then on the weekend. Did I give in to Viccodine? Yes, when it was too hard to fall asleep at night in the hot, muggy weather along with excruciating pain, when there was nothing else I could do but lie down and do simran (not a best position to concentrate & quiet the mind).
During the day, through caring for others, I forget myself; my pain. I realized we are never left all alone to care for another (do SEWA). Waheguru cares. Waheguru’s concern for the other person’s well-being was there long before I became interested. Waheguru’s care is stronger, wiser, and more enduring than ours can ever be. But people often understand and experience Waheguru’s care most deeply when it is transmitted through caring human beings. The loving Waheguru cares for us all. HE healed me not only physically but also in my heart where I learnt the new meaning of SEWA. Waheguru calls us and empowers us to care for others.
Selfless service and intuitive awareness come by reflecting upon the Word of the Shabad.
Chanting, intensive meditation and austere self-discipline come by subduing the ego.
One becomes Jivan-mukta - liberated while yet alive, by listening to the Shabad.
Living a truthful way of life, one finds true peace. ||7||
With Guru’s apaar Kirpa; I possess reasonably good health for my age and the amount of work load I carry on my shoulders. Well some of the health problems just are part of all moms. So I was not spared; after years of living with this problem; I decided to take care of it once and for ever. So I decided to go under the knife this last Friday. The pain was sharp; so sharp that I learnt why it is called ‘pain in the butt’ for excruciating pain. I looked at my face in the mirror & could tell that it is visible in my eyes.
Now I had two options – take a Viccodine and sleep it off on the weekend or take my mind off the pain…somehow. The other day I was telling my friend; who is first-time pregnant and is afraid of injections; “Waheguru da dhiayaan dharo; dard mehsoos nahi hovega”. Now it was my turn to take my own advice….for sometime I was so tempted to open that prescription bottle and take it down the throat; but then looked at my chidlren’s faces whom I promised to take swimming just a day before, without realizing that I will be in so much agony. I took a deep breath, thinking still about the above advice and began Simran in my mind; nonetheless it did not relieve any pain immediately …. I continued with this one remedy I knew of…picked the children from Summer Day Camp; gave them snack while I prepared the swim bag & off we went swimming.
It was one and a half hour lesson for three of them. I sat beside the pool, watched them play in water; listening to their instructor that how good is my older son who can be a winner on swim team; watching the middle one, my daughter; doing successfully breast stroke and crossing the pool, the younger daughter bubbling with pride as she dived to pick ten rings from the floor of the spa; enjoying the breeze by the pool while temperature was still three-digit outside….I almost forgot my pain.
When Singh Ji came home, he was little upset; knowing that I put myself through unnecessary pain; when things can wait….but I had learnt that taking my mind off my pain through Sewa and Simran; is the only remedy for me…so I continued with regular chores for my family…that night and then on the weekend. Did I give in to Viccodine? Yes, when it was too hard to fall asleep at night in the hot, muggy weather along with excruciating pain, when there was nothing else I could do but lie down and do simran (not a best position to concentrate & quiet the mind).
During the day, through caring for others, I forget myself; my pain. I realized we are never left all alone to care for another (do SEWA). Waheguru cares. Waheguru’s concern for the other person’s well-being was there long before I became interested. Waheguru’s care is stronger, wiser, and more enduring than ours can ever be. But people often understand and experience Waheguru’s care most deeply when it is transmitted through caring human beings. The loving Waheguru cares for us all. HE healed me not only physically but also in my heart where I learnt the new meaning of SEWA. Waheguru calls us and empowers us to care for others.
posted by Singhni at 8:18 AM
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