Legacy: Letters from eminent parents to their daughters by Menon, Sudha (books suggested by bill gates txt) 📗

Chandra is inspired by the story of Chuck Feeney, the American billionaire, also called the James Bond of philanthropy, who wrote away his untold wealth to aid a range of social initiatives. And Chandra walks the talk. A couple of years ago, he and his wife Archana, a willing partner to him in various social initiatives, wrote away the bulk of their vast personal wealth to various causes close to their heart.

‘I believe that wealth is an incredible tool and a godsend blessing. When used productively, it can bring long-lasting joy and true happiness; but when misused, or accumulated without purpose, it can become a disease that destroys families and relationships.’ Such Chandra writes in this bittersweet note to his daughter, Anika.

My dearest Anna,

I know that at the time of my writing this letter to you, you are too young to understand some of what I want to convey. But this is a letter that I want you to read when you are a young woman, when you start witnessing the uncertainties of life, facing the breadth of right and wrong, and start seeking meaning in some of it, defining the purpose of your own life in the process. I want to start by telling you that even though every child is special to her parents, you are more than special to us. You came to us, with the blessings of God, after your mother and I had almost given up the hope of ever having a child of our own. Every time your mother suffered a miscarriage, it was not just the emotional and physical pain that she went through that affected us, but more the thought that both us love children so much and therefore really wanted to have one of our own! You came to us in the eleventh year of our marriage, and I can’t fully express how your coming into our lives has changed our world for the better.

Each day that you show me a new skill that you mastered, or tell me about something new that you learnt in some class, or share with us some experience you had with a friend, is an incredible feeling. At times I am amazed at how quickly you are growing, sometimes I just get lost in the joy or concern of your own experience, and often your experience takes me back to my own days as a little kid. Your wonderment at the simple things in life fills our lives with joy, and I hope and pray that this ability to keep life uncomplicated and enjoy happiness through simple things stays with you throughout.

Anna, you are just over 7-years-old but you don’t know the impact you have already had on our family. Each one of us—your mother, your two grandmothers, and I—are touched by your unbound enthusiasm for things, your mischievous streak, your unquenchable curiosity, your sense of humour, and your somewhat calm nature. Someday, I hope to also learn from you the ability to be relatively more disciplined and dogged when not playing to one’s strengths, skills that I have struggled to adopt in my everyday life! For example, your passion for gymnastics and the determination to do well at it amazes me. What you lack in a sportsperson’s physique, thanks to your parents’ genes, you make up with your determination and effort. Most people play to their strengths, probably taught to do so as kids. However, life is about facing many situations, and often one has to play to one’s weakness, so this trait is truly a great asset to have. I have no doubt that determination is central to making things happen, even when faced with the biggest odds.

Anna, every parent wants the best for their children. However, the pushes and pulls of day-to-day life often prevent them from fully imparting the knowledge they have gained from a life filled with experiences. Writing this letter to you is therefore an incredible opportunity for me to think hard and pen everything that I have wanted to impart to you, to tell you what I think is important for you to know in the long run.

From my own experience, and from looking at people around me, I have come to believe that life should be about two things—first, a quest for true happiness, and second, a journey to make a positive impact, both upon yourself, and the society at large. Often we end up confusing our objectives and chase things that we think will eventually get us one of these two, but in doing so, we lose track of the real objectives. We get obsessed with our jobs, in the pursuit of something material, certain relationships, or some challenging situation, as a result of which life gets into a rut, becomes very one-dimensional, or pushes one to despair. I can tell you, with confidence, that it is important to pause and frequently ask ourselves if we have either truly made ourselves happy, or done something positive for our loved ones, and more importantly, if we are contributing to somehow making the world a better place than what we see before us.

Dear Anna, I see that as a little girl you are already doing this in your own small way by being happy with simple things of life, and lighting up the lives of your parents and grandparents with the way you spread joy and affection. I hope and pray that you will continue to find ways to do so for the rest of your life. I am asked occasionally what my wishes are for you and I always say that what I really want for you is to be happy and spread happiness around. Everything else is secondary, for what’s the use of success or wealth or fame if you are not at peace with yourself and not making a positive impact upon those around you?

Let me now tell