From Our friend Sudhir Oak who visited Aai in November in Toronto.....
Dear Pratibha,
Being in Canada since March 17, I heard about Mandatai from Namita the very next day. I just wanted to give you some space before I wrote to you.
If we could, we would have our parents till our own last breath, but of course, that's not how it works. At the end of the day, beyond a certain point, all we hope for is when the time comes, let it be as dignified as possible, so life simply doesn't become a road to be traveled just because it doesn't end.
Both Bhau and Mandatai were the epitome of "how well" and "how long" when it came to living a life. What they have left behind in terms of the goodwill and good deeds in Toronto and around the world, will be remembered by a lot of families forever.
Having lost my Dad in 1990 and my mom in 2002, I am well aware of the sadness, the grief, the helplessness, and the feeling of being orphaned that one feels. For that, we ourselves have to step up to the plate and make our own peace with it and move on, knowing their guiding light will always be lit up in our hearts.
I found my peace in the following lines, I wrote a year or two after my mom passed away to reconcile:
कधीतरी आभाळ दूर दूर जाणारच
हात कितीही केले वर, तरी क्षितिजापार जाणारच ॥
पण आठवणींच्या चमचमत्या तार्यांतून ते आपल्याकडेच पाहणार
दिसलं - न दिसलं तरी आपल्या मनाचा आधारच राहणार ..... ॥
My prayers for a peaceful and smooth transition of the departed soul to the world beyond.
