Happy Birthday Gandhi……..
We have never celebrated Gandhi’s birthday before – I know, shame on us – but today is the day. We are going to bake a cake in his honor. He was a man of tremendous resolve and had an amazing faith in humanity. He was a stellar example of living what you preach. Gandhi is proof that one person can change the world.
Here is a story that one of my readers shared with me about Gandhi (thanks Alok)…
Once, a mom whose son was fond of sugar took him to see Gandhi…….apparently her son was in awe of Gandhi and she believed that her son would quit eating sugar on Gandhi’s advice….
She went up to Gandhi and said, “Can you please counsel my son and ask him to quit eating sugar”….Gandhi remained quiet……and then told her to come back after few months, which she did……This time Gandhi told her son to quit sugar……Surprised, the woman asked Gandhi why he waited so long to tell her son this small thing…….He answered, “I cannot counsel someone in doing something that I cannot avoid….so, I had to work on my habit first!”
Talk about living the change you want to see in the world.
(On second thought, maybe eating cake is not the most appropriate way to celebrate.)
A Reason To Write 
Gandhi you gave freedom to India, many many happy returns of the day…
When Gandhi was 16 his father became very ill. Being very devoted to his parents, he attended to his father at all times during his illness. However, one night, Gandhi’s uncle came to relieve Gandhi for a while. He retired to his bedroom where carnal desires overcame him and he made love to his wife. Shortly afterward a servant came to report that Gandhi’s father had just died. Gandhi felt tremendous guilt and never could forgive himself. He came to refer to this event as “double shame.” The incident had significant influence in Gandhi becoming celibate at the age of 36, while still married.[49]
Interesting comparison between Gandhi and Karmapa (your previous post). While Karmapa (and others in the lineage) are made to take the batons of their religion (and His Holiness, the Dalai Lama and others have been doing their duties very well), Gandhi was a person who was born just like one of us – with innate temptations. It needs immense courage and wisdom for a person to relinquish inherited wealth, a life of luxury and all worldly desires to make up one’s mind to fight fearlessly and without any means against injustice (like apartheid in South Africa and colonial rule in India). I personally, do not agree to some of his methodologies but many of the stories from his life are inspirational.
LOL, still giggling. Let them eat CAKE!
First of all thanks for mentioning that story…..but I guess credit goes to Al Gore-who quoted this story in his book and PV Narsimha Rao who mentioned about this in his address to the US Senate….
Just heard that Obama had expressed his gratitude to Gandhi as he feels that America has its roots in Gandhi’s India……and this platform is a testament of that comment…..
Say what?
Alok
http://reveda.blogspot.com/
Yes,Cake is not appropriate. Ho-Hos. Gandhi loved the Ho-Hos!