My friend Jesse who I met at an athletic club we both belong to about 2 years ago has become one of my (at the risk of seeming maudlin) very dear friends. He has shown me what true humility is because for Jesse it’s all about the work ethic not the rewards.
Several weeks ago Jesse sent me one of those e invitations to be part of a holy ceremony called the Kirtan to be held at his home. Instruments accompany the Kirtan described as a call and response chanting devotional tradition. When I walked in he politely asked me to remove my shoes, which I did dutifully, and then my friend fitted me with a ceremonial orange turban as custom calls for all men to have their heads covered.
Inside of an hour my friend’s home was filled with Sikhs, the women in decorative saris and the men in kurta pajamas. My eyes casually looked around for another Anglo American but there were none in sight. I soon realized it was 99 Sikhs and me. More about that later. I could not begin to describe the ceremony but the music resonated from deep inside me and I found myself meditating about my family those departed and those still on this earth.
I for my part just sat on the floor and tried not to fidget too much as most the congregation was able to sit in the lotus position for the full two hours. People would get up in no particular order and move about some with hands pressed together giving Namaste homage to the Guru and still others chanting to words and music which are the sacred hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib. The Sikhs give great value to this type of singing and the Kirtan is the Sikhs way of keeping their souls afloat in the darkest of times.
As I alluded to earlier it would seem that my friend by either happenstance or design invited his one Anglo friend Jack and as the evening descended it occurred to me what honor Jesse had bestowed on me. He as is his wont would not place much emphasis on this fact but it was for me something that this Catholic boy will never forget. Namaste my friend.
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