Values, Aspirations, and Fulfillment: Lessons from Grandma Daadi

By Mohan K. Sood Ph.D.

Values, Aspirations, and Fulfillment: Lessons from Grandma Daadi presents simple, practical, universal, and meaningful principles for a successful, productive, balanced, and fulfilling life. Opportunities are all around you to discover and realize your best. Life is what you make of it. You are what your inner aspirations are. As are your aspirations, so is your determination for thoughtful actions and honest work ethic to build your future. Be optimistic, be inspired, be positive, and be prepared to turn the challenges that come your way into long-term opportunities for success. The contents should inspire readers to practice values and ideals in balancing the scales of life for health, happiness, and peace. Life lived in satisfaction is what matters. That is truly a celebrated life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 29, 2010
• ISBN: 9781453598900

Mohan K. Sood Ph.D.

Mohan K. Sood , Ph.D. grew up in Ropar-Chandigarh area of Punjab, India. Dr. Sood was professor and university administrator at Northeastern Illinois University for thirty-two years. He transitioned to California in 2002 to follow his personal passion for sharing the spiritual wisdom of India. Based in Southern California, he teaches and writes on Eastern Spiritual Wisdom. He focuses on understanding the wholeness of life, to live with inspired ideals, to channel inner strength to handle situations in life, and to feel fulfi lled. His recent books include Spiritual Living: Eastern Wisdom for Today and Values, Aspirations and Fulfi llment: Lessons from Grandma Daadi.

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Also by Mohan K. Sood

Spiritual Living: Eastern Wisdom for Today

Five Points of Value for A Fulfilling Life

VALUES, ASPIRATIONS, AND FULFILLMENT

LESSONS FROM GRANDMA DAADI

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Mohan K. Sood, Ph.D.

Copyright © 2010 by Mohan K. Sood, Ph.D.

ISBN: Softcover    978-1-4535-9889-4

ISBN: Ebook        978-1-4535-9890-0

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CONTENTS

PREFACE

SECTION ONE

INTRODUCTION

SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

SECTION TWO

THE FIVE VALUES

EDUCATION

THE FIRST VALUE

WORK ETHIC

THE SECOND VALUE

RESPECT

THE THIRD VALUE

LOVE

THE FOURTH VALUE

SPIRIT OF GIVING

THE FIFTH VALUE

SECTION THREE

LIFE, CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES

LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT

SECTION FOUR

THE GUIDED DISCIPLINE

BALANCING THE SCALES OF LIFE

SECTION FIVE

FULFILLMENT

INTENTION OF LIFE

All men by nature desire knowledge.

The energy of the mind is the essence of life.

Aristotle

As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able

to remake the world—that is the myth of the atomic age—

as in being able to remake ourselves.

Mohandas K. Gandhi

PREFACE

This book is neither about doctrines and nor about dogmas but a brief glimpse of principles that I have valued most for a healthy and happy, productive and balanced, successful and satisfying, and spiritually fulfilling life. I am immensely grateful for these values and have spoken about them at schools, colleges, community groups, and professional associations. The audience interest and interactions resulted in the publication of the little book Five Points of Value for a Fulfilling Life in 2008 in a limited edition of over one thousand copies. They were distributed at various forums and libraries with compliments to honor the people in my life.

I am grateful for the vigorous interest, support, encouragement, and suggestions from the readers which inspired me to prepare this expanded book for broader benefit. It is a practical framework in five sections devoted to values, aspirations and fulfillment in simple format with reflections, references, and relevance to assist the reader to advance towards a successful life.

The presentation on ‘Work Ethic’ has been considerably enlarged. Three new Sections are added to expand the scope of the book. The new Section Three on Life, Challenges, Opportunities, captures the essence of life and what you make of it through optimism and action plans for turning various challenges into long-term opportunities for success. The Guided Discipline the new Section Four shows the path to balancing the scales of life for contentment. The concluding Section Five sums-up the intention of life—its need for Fulfillment.

So, practice values, stay inspired, be positive, and be prepared to work thoughtfully to realize your aspirations for a satisfying life.

Thank you my family for being so persistent and so patient in seeing this project to take its final form—another little book.

Mohan K. Sood, Ph.D.

San Marcos-San Diego

California USA

2010

SECTION ONE

INTRODUCTION

Source of Inspiration

We have indeed many things to learn from others.

Until the inner teacher opens, all outside teaching is in vain.

(Swami Vivekananda)

I was very fortunate to have a special relationship with my grandmother (Daadi—mother of my father) as a child growing up in Punjab, India. She was rather young and full of life. I had very deep bond of love and devotion to her. Due to the social environment of the time she did not receive much formal education. Her intelligence, however, was evident in her conversations and understanding of the depth of meanings of the mantras and prayers from the Hindu scriptures she recited daily in the Sanskrit language.

From my early childhood, Daadi (and my parents) instilled in me high standards and ethical living. In her many conversations, she impressed values for a good virtuous life. They made indelible impact on me and have made her my living memory.

Daadi used to say: