Recently National Sikh Campaign launched the “We are Sikhs” initiative.  Where a vast amount of money was spent to make an Ad/PR campaign to educated the American population on what Sikhs are/stand for.   All efforts to educate and spread awareness have their place and should be applauded, however I do believe we have started to cross the lines of what we should be standing for. Money cannot win the hearts and minds of others, commercials cannot express the deepness of our beliefs.  Historically Sikhs have consistently been underdogs, and under constant scrutiny either by ..read more

It seems like something that is difficult to shake.  At every life stage we go through, we continuously have an uneasy feeling, and it’s sort of there constantly in the background.  Nagging us continuously creating doubt, fear and making us question our abilities.  It is an invisible dialogue we have no matter how successful or confident things seem on the outside there is that ever pervading doubt. I think this may be a survival mechanism, an animal instinct to always be on the lookout.  Nobody likes to acknowledge this side of themselves, it puts you in a vulnerable spo ..read more

They say the average American does not know the difference between a Sikh and Muslim.  They tell me the average American associates a turban and a beard with ISIS, Taliban, or Bin Laden.  That’s ok because the average Sikh does not have fear in their vocabulary. We are not the victims of mistaken identity, we are in fact doing exactly what our identity was supposed to do.  It was supposed to absorb hate and ignorance so others would not have to.  See, you mistake us for something we are not however you do not know exactly who we are.  Our heritage teaches us toleran ..read more

Today while driving to work I read a very intriguing bumper sticker.  It read: “ It’s never too late to have a happy childhood”.  Needless to say my mind always needs something to ponder and with a 45 minute drive I lowered the news radio I normally listen to and thought about that bumper sticker.  My thoughts quickly drifted to many questions: What makes me happy? What is happiness? How often are we meant to be happy? Why is happiness so important? Why is it so difficult to obtain or keep that happy feeling? As I pondered it, I reflected on the moments in my life that ..read more

I leave my comfort zone today to experience something new.  In my heart I am an American, as I was practically born in the United States everything about me, my education my thought system is pretty much in line with the average American.  I am however very much aware of one big difference.  There is a longing, something connects me to another part of the planet called India and that connection is one of spiritual reality.  What I identify within myself, my religion my way of thought all originated there and though the location itself is not holy, there is something there ..read more

So here goes take two of this blog.  Originally meant for family/friends and documenting thoughts for my children it eventually evolved into something more public.  This left many of my personal experiences and more significantly images and stories of my children exposed to the public internet, and we all know how safe the internet is!  Many times I came across instances where pictures of my children were used in ways unknown to me or without my consent. Took a few months off to re-evaluate what I wanted to do, I enjoy sharing thoughts and experience’s however I have to also ..read more

Whenever I step into an elementary school memories come back. From the smells in the halls, the colorful walls and small chairs and desks.  I remember vividly the moments that I felt scared, embarrassed and ashamed for the way I looked. I remember being called a girl for my top knot, being laughed at, being picked last, being made fun of, and most of all I remember the silence in which I took it.  I was afraid to tell anyone, my parents, my community members even my cousins.  Who wants to talk about the fact that they are an outcast in school?  Though my childhood had m ..read more