The Legacy

I along with my wife, Usha visited our native village recently. I noticed a property east of village where cattle grazed. It belonged to my Dad,a 90-year-old retired A D M. He ow

ned a lot of land in the area. When we told him we were interested in the piece of land, we are planning to settle and we would teach school there after our retirement from our current services, he pursed his lips and stared. " What did you say"? you will settle there? Impossible, people are leaving village and you intend to settle there? What a surprise!

But the very next second he told  " Nothing is mine there, Nothing is yours there. Nothing there belonged to your
Grand Dad even, every thing there, the pasture or lush property, belonged to your great Grand Dad, Sri Brij Mohan Dubey who died at the young age of 45. He was a good man".

A good man. A wonderful phrase - one that has almost been lost in our culture. I am reminded of a verse:  "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold"

A good name is the legacy  Great Grand Dad, Brij Mohan Dubey left me. It is what I hope to leave Shaswat with a story he can tell his son as they walk the gentle land when it comes to him by succession.