Linger / myLot

Calcutta, India

April 8, 2025 11:02am CST

The ashen wood of the jambs shone in the sunlight filtered by the oak and deodar trees. I was looking through the window of the Pemanyangste monastery at the scenery beyond. A pale bald monk wearing saffron clothing with a walking stick edged towards me with surprisingly anchored steps. He bent down a little, reaching out his right arm to bless me. In a resolute but soft voice, he said "May God give you courage to weather all odds." I was 9 years old. So it felt different than other blessings. Every elder around me blessed me with happiness, abundance, love... so suddenly courage felt like an odd one out. Now, at the age of 21, his words reverberate in my mind, and I can truly understand how necessary courage is in life. Because you never know what life is going to throw at you. Courage is quintessential to face life's challenges head on. So this is one incident lingers on even today.

13 people like this

11 responses

Eva James

@wolfgirl569 (114329)

• Marion, Ohio

8 Apr

He was wise

3 people like this

Aparna Sen

@Dreamerby (7720)

• Calcutta, India

9 Apr

Yes that he was.

3 people like this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (350524)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Apr

I can well understand how that particular blessing stands out in your mind.

3 people like this

vanny

@vandana7 (101662)

• India

8 Apr

What a great post....and what a wonderful blessing.

2 people like this

Aparna Sen

@Dreamerby (7720)

• Calcutta, India

9 Apr

Yes the blessing was unique and I will probably remember it for the rest of my life.

2 people like this

OceanTiara

@RebeccasFarm (93552)

• United States

10 Apr

You are blessed to have had such sage and love.

1 person likes this

Aparna Sen

@Dreamerby (7720)

• Calcutta, India

10 Apr

Yeah it was a long time back but I still remembered it

Anindita Sengupta

@aninditasen (16953)

• Raurkela, India

9 Apr

You have to be courageous to overcome the obstacles of life and have faith in God.

1 person likes this

Aparna Sen

@Dreamerby (7720)

• Calcutta, India

10 Apr

Yes true. I can truly understand that now.

1 person likes this

Anindita Sengupta

@aninditasen (16953)

• Raurkela, India

11 Apr

@Dreamerby Fear leads to depression and I have experienced that.

Greenery8

@grenery8 (15649)

• Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatska)

10 Apr

that was one meaningful blessing. yes, we really ned courage for our daily harsh life

1 person likes this

Aparna Sen

@Dreamerby (7720)

• Calcutta, India

11 Apr

Yeah true.

Always smiling

@allknowing (143548)

• India

9 Apr

That is a nice memory you have even after so many years. Are you courageous now?

1 person likes this

Aparna Sen

@Dreamerby (7720)

• Calcutta, India

9 Apr

I try to be.

Shiva

@Shiva49 (27068)

• Singapore

9 Apr

One golden rule is change is the only constant and we have to adapt. Change what we can for the better and accept those we can't. We all face challenges but how we face them matters. It depends on us whether we have a positive or negative take on what confronts us.

1 person likes this

Aparna Sen

@Dreamerby (7720)

• Calcutta, India

10 Apr

Yes thanks for commenting this.

1 person likes this

A A

@anya12adwi (10226)

• India

9 Apr

During the engagement ceremony in a temple, a pundit asked me to marry him after looking at my palm! I have a hard time saying no to anyone and do not know where I got the courage to say him NO outrightly! He then raised his voice that how can i say no to him! Thank Goodness, I had my mausi back up me! She said to him why would a child marry an old man!!