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Wahiguru Ji ka Khalsa, Wahiguru Ji k fateh. Well, where do I begin? Would you believe if I told you I almost joined the Army for ww2 but was young and it was all over in 1945? What!? How old are you? I hear you ask? Very old! Wasn't easy being brought up in my childhood, living amongst what seemed like 98% white folks. Sure they were friendly but got the usual, school problem, being picked on by class mates (do we call them peers these days)? Because of skin colour and goti. Life was good back then. Unlike today, paper shops were rare. First the news shop man got news, then his neighbours, then locals, then the next street... Then me and my parents like 3 weeks later! Yes even the biggest news. Exclude end of WW2. We knew that on the day. With Akal Purak (God's) kirpa I took Amrit in Punjab year 1947 I believe. I was definitely a teen going back. My dad had sooooo so much Chardikala. Nitnemi, going houses of Sikhs for listening to katha and kirtan (Gurudwara wasn't around our area back then. We lived in UK am still in UK but now another town). Unfortunately my mum, although also Amritdhari, was completely different! She criticised me for everything matter what I did in my life. Their were a few Sikhs. All those Sikhs were great! Fantastic according to my mum. Intelligent and clever. But me? Dumb, stupid and never mount to anything. She also controlled my life until I was 50. Now, somewhere between 7-10 yrs of being Amritdhari, my mother made me drink 0.5% alcohol. After that it was Carlsberg and Fosters. They go up 5%! The volume level. So one can u cannot get drunk. Why did I drink, despite knowing it's a bujjer kurehat? If I hadn't my mum got really upset am not doing something she asked. Even back then we knew full well about Tankanama and Hukamnama. "Sadly" ma passed away about 40 years ago. On her death I was in a dilemma... I was sad but happiness was there too. When I received the letter two days later I felt this relief wash over my body. I closed my eyes and in one second I saw... Me going pesh, getting rid of the alcohol cans in her garage and keep it a secret from dad. I can open my own Business and no mum to put me down, "You'll fail the Business. Very bad idea" etc. And just enjoying rest of my life with my wife and kids. I am extremely impressed with life in UK which has been progessing since late 80's; Hindu, Muslim and Sikhs in UK, daal sabjia available in an abundance, different faith centres pretty much every town! My message is, if you have kids do not feed them poison and criticise them over everything. It'll truly put them down. One thing I remember is, about a week b4 Ma's death I was at her bedside. I said to her "Rab thenu agla janam saragee wala bakshi" may God give u a blessed next life. My mother knew no love in her childhood days. Always being bullied by her own siblings and her parents would look down on her. Then my father, though Chardikala, would never listen to his own wife. My elder sister, still alive and kicking! Never got married which farther stressed Ma for best of 30 years! Before she gave up. My sis never got motherly love from childhood to her adulthood. Before I get carried away, treat your kids with respect whichever life you are leading. Only criticise where necessary. Do not fill your kids life with poison toxins. May God bless you all. I may not be here next time. I am going to be 90 next year. Wahiguru Ji ka Khalsa, Wahiguru ji k Fateh.