Grief and beyond

 My father spent his career teaching in a government school where many students came from families living below the poverty line. Some children came to school after working to help feed their families. Others quietly carried the burdens of alcoholism at home, illness, abuse, or hardships no child should have to face.

Nanna often said that getting those children to come to school consistently was a victory in itself. When one of them passed the 10th grade board exams, he believed it deserved to be celebrated. Despite earning the modest salary of a government school teacher, he would personally give cash prizes to those students from his own pocket, just to let them to know their hard work mattered.

It's been two (lunar) months today since his passing. In his memory, we contributed toward the graduation trophies at Portland ManaBadi this year. Another generous family completed the remaining amount needed, allowing every graduate to be recognized.

Nanna believed that encouragement can change the course of a child's life, and that every achievement, especially one earned against the odds, deserves to be celebrated.

I hope our children remember him *not for what he owned, but for what he gave* and get to know their taata more through such stories that so far only resided in our minds.