This morning I wished a dear friend – my professor - ‘Navroze Mubarak.’ I felt so good. And so did she. We connected after a long time and the festival gave us cues to make conversation. We exchanged notes on our lives and how we were doing. I asked my friend how she would celebrate the day. She said she was going in the morning to the agiary (Parsi fire temple) in Bombay. In the evening she would do dinner with her son and daughter-in-law. Dinner because they would be busy during the day.
On a day in college in St Xavier’s, Mapusa, Goa another mentor – now in an old age home – in Goa spoke a few words embedded in my memory. ‘Make at least one friend with someone from another faith [in your life],’ she had said. I still have a long way to go, but I like to think I have run the distance.
As life unfolds, we are often not close enough to share the impulse that drew is together initially. Festivals give us a chance to renew that bond – and partake in the gaiety. Who hasn’t partaken of a succulent mutton biryani at a friend’s house for Id?
As faiths intermingle, I found myself asking my dear professor to pray for our intentions in the temple. She said she would. In the journey of life it was a beautiful sharing of faith.
I am only sorry we will not not be able to join them for dinner this evening.
On a day in college in St Xavier’s, Mapusa, Goa another mentor – now in an old age home – in Goa spoke a few words embedded in my memory. ‘Make at least one friend with someone from another faith [in your life],’ she had said. I still have a long way to go, but I like to think I have run the distance.
As life unfolds, we are often not close enough to share the impulse that drew is together initially. Festivals give us a chance to renew that bond – and partake in the gaiety. Who hasn’t partaken of a succulent mutton biryani at a friend’s house for Id?
As faiths intermingle, I found myself asking my dear professor to pray for our intentions in the temple. She said she would. In the journey of life it was a beautiful sharing of faith.
I am only sorry we will not not be able to join them for dinner this evening.
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