A start of a new year at University and we all begin with fresher’s week. Typically the week goes by pretty quick as we all move in to a new place, make new friends, catch up with old ones, visit the fresher’s fayre and spend lots of money on societies and things we usually don't need.
This year is my third year at University and something different happened. Whilst walking through campus, a young Muslim lady came up to me and said 'you don't know who I am but I've seen you walking around campus for two years now and I'm really inspired.' She continued 'It’s rare to see a female Sikh wearing the turban and I feel really encouraged and inspired to see you wearing it with pride.'
Now at the time I just thanked her and got talking about difficulties that she faced while wearing a headscarf and how hard it can be to be accepted by the wider community.
Later on, I realized that she wasn't complimenting me but my father - Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Guru Sahib gave us the strength to stand out from a crowd and be proud of our identity regardless of gender, caste, status, etc. This got me to realize (and remember) that when we walk down the street wearing a Dastar (the uniform of a Sikh, our crown), we are representing our Guru and should walk upright with pride, we should speak properly and politely as if we were speaking to our Guru and we should act as we would act in front of our Guru.
We are blessed that Maharaj has given us this identity,
these kind compassionate morals to live by. We should be proud to walk down a
street wearing a Dastar and we should teach the next generation that its ok to
look different because we are born to stand out.
‘This is the unique and distinct life-style of the Gurmukhs’
Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Ang 314
A saying I've recently come across is
'Live in such a way that if someone spoke badly of you, no-one would believe it.'
Plato
This is the way a Gursikh should act
- with honour, with dignity, with compassion and more importantly with
humility.
If I have written anything wrong or I have upset or offended anyone by writing this please forgive me, this was not my intention.
If I have written anything wrong or I have upset or offended anyone by writing this please forgive me, this was not my intention.
Waheguru!!!