Life is Like a Box of Chocolates...

Two days ago, I came home to find two beautiful gifts in my laptop bag. No letter, no name, just two beautiful, anonymous gifts:  A stack of ornamentally decorated Buddha cards and an amazing hand-crafted, artsy journal book. The next morning, my friend walks in my room and compliments the two items on the side of my desk. “Their yours”! I hand the gifts to him, and before he has a chance to fight back, I shove him out of my apartment and lock the door. So much for Ahimsa. Later that night, he shares a story at Silent Wednesday meditation during our circle of sharing, that he received these gifts this morning, so he was inspired to give to others. He ended up giving away his watch to a elevator lift man, who mans the lift at Seva Café. That same night I come back home into my room and have a beautifully decorated gift basket of chocolates on my desk with a smile illustrated on a piece of paper and a note that says: Here are chocolates for your kids. Awesome!

I‘m just smiling with great joy for all the ripples that continue to spread.

Well the next morning, I pack the chocolates in a box and put them in my bag. By late afternoon, Bharat and I pick up all the kids and head to Darpana for practice. Before we get out of the car, I pass out all the chocolates to the kids. Its their turn to share it forward. And they do with great joy and excitement. The kids take their chocolates and give it to all the workers, janitors, cleaners, security guards, teachers, and administrative staff at Darpana Academy. Everyone at Darpana had the same response, ‘You guys are kids, chocolates are for you. Please keep it for yourself.’  But the kids for reasons within, held steadfast and continued to reply, “no someone else gave this to us and so we want to give it to you!”…Love it!!!

One response was so beautiful. One of the staff members did not want to take the chocolate from Chandini. Chandini is the most tiniest girl in our group. So he said, “I can’t take it from you. You are too small and too cute”. Chandini replied, “no sir, I will not accept it back. Please take it”. So then he finally gave in and said “okay, I will give it to a similar very tiny cute girl like you that lives near my home”.

You can just feel, at that moment, a great aura at Darpana and a great spirit of family and joy amongst all.

The power of Children.

The power of Love.