If you are not a Sikh why fake it. If you are not a true Khalsa why claim it, however; if you are one or trying to be one, more power to you. I find happiness just being a Sikh, May I tell you why? I find living as a Sikh is the most practical way of life.

Being a Sikh:

I believe God gave me this life and there is a little spark of Him in me! This gives me an enormous potential to be happy and creative in lighting up my life by just invoking His name!

I feel He honored me by giving me birth in a Sikh home and the parents who taught me the Sikh values, Guru’s teachings, and tried shaping me to be the man Lam. (I know Sikhs try to make their children good so they will be happy always instead of trying to keep them happy hoping they would be good.) I feel He honored me (Sikhs) further when He asked me (us) to stand up to tyranny, defend the righteous causes, and protect the defenseless. He must have faith in me (Sikhs) to be bestowing such an honor on me (us). (You know we don’t ask anyone to do something unless we believe he/she will do it).

Jama leader (Sardar)! Lam the descendent of the eldest children of my homeland. History tells me (us) when Sikhs were | bonding to form Sikhism, the

Native so four homelands, Hindus and Muslims, were poor and defenseless. They were tyrannized and put down by Mogul rulers administratively, and socially by the Hindu caste system Many believed in Sikh reforms but had nothing to offer. So they use to pledge their eldest child to side with the Sikhs to fight for their rights. The responsible commitments of the eldest child are in me (us). That is why l am a Sardar, act line one, and have the confidence to go along.

I emulate God via the Holy Granth and Gurus are my mentors. Gurus dignified work for me. Nanak was a store-keeper, Arjun was an embroider, Christ was 3 carpenter, Gurus showed me that nature demands that  I work and society imposes duty that  work. They asked me (us) to live house holder’s life while remembering Him always like mother remembers her child while she does her daily chores. Guru Arjun exemplified the importance of principles, One must have principles and if one believes in them one must stand up for them and not change them to please somebody. Guru Teg Bhadur showed me further. It is not only my faith that is important but others have the same rights. He died protecting the right of Hindu Brahmin’s to wear a Janneu. Guru Gobind taught me, one could be a teacher as well as a student. He baptized me (Sikhs) and Sikhs baptized Him. He loved us so much that He sacrificed all his children for us. In defence of liberty and justice, it is to bad one has only one life to give. How wonderful it is that my mentors never took anyone’s life nor cursed anyone. There is no righteous cause in the World for which one should take life. They taught me to pray and thank God. If  were to ask Him for something, ask that He gives me strength to bear the atrocities imposed upon me by my fellow human beings.

God I thank you for what you do for me! You created Man in many shapes, sizes and colors, Man created You in many shapes sizes and colors. However, I know there is only “One” you whom we all share. [accept you no matter how you come to me. Your grace is my bounty. I am very satisfied and happy being a Sikh. Please keep me in your grace.

In following Sikhism, I feel comfort and that inner dignity that comes with the knowledge that | will never do wrong intentionally,

In writing this piece | was thinking of all the sons and daughters of Punjab who lost their lives for the rights of others. I was wondering what must have gone through their minds to sacrifice their precious lives. After re-reading this article, i have come to believe that they did what was expected of them and what they were taught.

May I ask you to join me in paying homage to our fallen heroes, in conveying condolences to their loved one’s left behind, and sympathy to all others who will never know what they could have done for mankind. Let us join in brotherhood of man and pledge our lives, our honor, wealth and our deeds to remove the tyranny, hunger, disease, injustice that falls upon the poor and defenseless, and make this World a better place.

let us honor our Homeland Punjab, the land we live in now with our virtues and deeds KHUDA Hafiz!

Article extracted from this publication >> Aug 14, 1992