100 Promises to My Baby by Mallika Chopra

Author:Mallika Chopra
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rodale Inc.
Published: 2005-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

48

I promise to show you the power of pure intention.

In India, the new year, Diwali, is marked by lights, games, and festivities around the country. Diwali is a time when we honor the goddess Lakshmi, who provides good luck and fortune to those who worship her.

On Diwali, we light candles and lamps in and around our houses as signals to Lakshmi that we are thinking about her on this night. The legend goes that she will visit your house and bless you and your family.

There is a story about a very wealthy man who wanted to create the biggest spectacle that the world had ever seen on Diwali. It was a way in which he could demonstrate his wealth, gloat about all his success, and show others that they could never compete with him when it came to attracting Lakshmi’s affection. The man had special lights made from every corner of the earth, and he even created a fireworks show that lit up the skies above. The entire village came to see his show, and undoubtedly there were many in the crowd who were jealous about his fortune. In their minds, there was no question that Lakshmi must love this man who could create such a celebration for her.

The man had a servant woman who lived across the alley behind his house. The woman had one son, but he was ill, and she struggled daily to provide him with food and nutrition. Her master treated her and his other staff badly; he paid them miniscule wages because he knew that they were desperate for anything that they could get. Even though he was one of the wealthiest men in the world, he would not give her any extra money for medication for her ailing son.

The woman also wanted to show her dedication to Lakshmi that night, but she could not afford to buy anything to make light. She saw the lights of the man’s palatial house shimmering in the night and the fireworks flash in the sky. Nonetheless, she was not distracted from her mission. While making her son’s dinner, she realized that she had only enough oil to make a portion of food for herself or to make a candle. Without hesitation, she made some dinner for her son and set aside the remaining oil. She found some wax and made the simplest of candles.

That night as the man presented the grandest spectacle the world had ever seen, the woman set the small candle in her window. She quietly said her prayers and went to sleep.

The next morning, the wealthy man jumped out of bed to discover piles of newspapers reporting on his party. He also woke up to a pile of bills that had to be paid. On the other side of the alley, however, the woman woke up to find a true gift from the gods. Her son jumped out of bed, looking vibrant and healthy. Miraculously, he was better. That day, as her son was out in the market, he was approached by a businessman looking for an apprentice.

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