Birthday

Today's generations are fortunate in a number of ways, many are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Everything flows like a running river to the ocean of their wishes. Parents have been projected as wish-fulfilling gods and goddesses. Not all  but many categorically fit to it, especially the urban borns. There is nothing wrong, it's just that we're witnessing a ride on the wings of change.  Literally, an axis of our practice is tilted along the lines of progress being brought about by the development. I construe nothing faulty and guilty here.  

It was 6th January 2015, the 19th Birth Anniversary of a girl. At the eve, she's too happy to wait for the dawn to break for the day. The night slipped to give away for the day, and it's her Birthday. She is turning 19, the sun of her teenage is on its horizon to sink below the mountains. She rejoiced that the most awaited day has finally come and it's already evening. She's happy that she could make to her 19th despite the jaws of death already present on the day of her delivery. It's hugely gratifying to see one walk out of the bed breaking through the night. It's a miracle. Thank god! She calls her parents to give him a sum of money to throw a sumptuous dinner to her friends to celebrate the day. She found  no reason why her parents would decline her request, after all, those 18 birthdays have passed doing the same thing over and again. To her surprise, parents decline saying that she needn't celebrate her Birthday as it is a huge affair financially and she is already adult under the eye of law. Celebrating birthday is childish. She breaks down on call and it's over, and no Birthday. 

Sad that she couldn't decorate her Birthday. She couldn't laugh on her Birthday. She couldn't get Birthday Gifts that her friends have to offer should the dinner get along.

 

Source: Google

Listen folks to the wise words from His Eminence, the 19th Khamtrul Rinpoche. Last Sunday, I was blessed to be partaking along with Dharma brothers and sisters who wanted to celebrate Rinpoche's Birthday as a token of gratitude for his tireless effort to spread and keep alive the Drukpa practices in the world. Rinpoche was requested to give a talk and here is what  he said, "Many friends and families bring Birthday gifts. I have explicitly requested anyone coming here today not bring a gift for me.  If you want to gift me, give me what I like. If you bring what I don't like, it isn't a gift for me. What I like as a gift is that you can make a difference in someone's life. That's the greatest gift for me. I don't see any reason that I deserve to be gifted on my Birthday. It was the day I was born, I couldn't talk, and I made my mother cry. I made her stomach big for nine months and let her carry me along, it was a burden on her. It was a day I did nothing than being a problem, I haven't accomplished anything on that day. There's nothing worth that I should be gifted. Rather, I feel otherwise. On my Birthday, I should thank my parents and families for giving all kind of love and care. On my Birthday, I should call my parents and thank them for all of their love and care that I received. I think, I should present gift to my parents. I should celebrate the day to pay my gratitude and not otherwise”.

I couldn’t agree more to Rinpoche’s gold plated words about Birthday celebration. I think it should be otherwise as Rinpoche nailed precisely. So, what do you say? I am for it.