Half the Glass is Full as Opposed to Half the Glass is Empty

I got a great idea. If I am an average left hander I will die nine years earlirer than an average right hander. So I might be able to school earlier than I've expected. I got the following from one of my colleagues:

"Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people"

If it is true, my dream to school again as the popular song:

'Thawath warak mata paasal yannata labunoth mama yanawaa"

Will be expedited. Isn't that great?

Positive Vibrant

This was a phrase used my one of my much loved cousins in describing my father. He said my father had a 'positive Vibrant' in his voice.

I can recall many instances where my father using this remarkable ability of him. One such instance, I will never forget in my life.

When I was in Second year of University, I wanted to buy a computer. But I was hesitant to ask my parents about this because I knew their financial constraints. However one day Thaththa was listening to a conversation I had with one of my batchmates. After the discussion he queitly came to me and asked "Do you want to buy a computer? "

I lied saying "No".

But he was in touch with my feelings and said: " Once I get my money which is expected to be released I will buy you a computer"

He bought me one. He never ever expressed his desires and never thought of buying anything for him. It is not the amount he gave me, but the intention to fulfill our dreams was GREAT.

I owe you a lot not in monetary terms but in terms of the rich feelings you gave me which has been deposited in my heart which will enhance with time.

He was Against the Conservatives

My father was against the Conservatives merely because he didn't want anyone to suffer. Even though the medical advisors state that there may be some difficulties in food digestion when you are sick, he didn't want us to suffer by not having food we love to eat when we are sick. My sister explains this in her own words:

"The other reason why I loved him to be with me when I was sick was that he allowed us to eat whatever we want. Because those days when we had fever our adults didn’t allow us to eat everything. We were given only some selected food, such as rice porridge or cream cracker biscuits, which we didn’t like much. But thaththa did not believe in it. Thanks to him I still do not lose my appetite when I have fever! "

I have gone through the same experience and that's why I want him to be my father forever.

One of His Favourite Proses

'Akuresse Muhuna Balamin Sinaasisee
Neela Walaa Ganga Muhudata Galaa Basee"

These two lines were originated by Thaththa when he was young. He used to be a poet and very few people knew about this rare ability of him.

His hometown was Akuressa and the River "Nilawala" was flowing beside his residence. Still the river flows and the poet has left us leaving the sweet memories of him with us.

This was sent by one of my sisters which really touched my heart.

"Death is nothing at all. It does not count. I have only slipped away into the next room. Nothing has happened. Everything remains exactly as it was. I am, I, and you are you, and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged. Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone. Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was. There is absolute and unbroken continuity. What is this death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner. All is well."

Thaththa, you really live in our hearts forever.

Being a Left Hander

I am a left hander. My mother is also a left hander. She used to write using her left hand when she was small. I remember she used to say either Aththamma or Seeya had changed her writing habit and forced her to write using her right hand. She says her hand writing should have been better if she was allowed to write using left hand.

I disclosed a contradiction. I use right hand to cut papers using scissors and this is what wikipedia has to say about it.

"scissors, a very common tool, are arranged so that the line being cut along can be seen by a right-handed user, but is not visible to a left-handed user. Furthermore, the handles are often molded in a way that is very difficult for a left-hander to hold, and extensive use causes severe discomfort and pain"

So even though I am a Left Hander I enjoy the benefits of a Right Hander. Isn't it great?

Dear Kisandu

The problems you face nowadays may be how to convince Amma that you need milk, how to climb up the couch to play with the smiling Ayya appearing in the calendar hanging on wall or how to crawl under the bed to find your favourite toy. Your whole world, may be the small living room Amma used to keep all your toys and the inflated pool sent by Thaththa.

As you grow older, you will face a much bigger world filled with lot of complex issues. But remember, the small lessons you learn through the tiny things you achieve these days will be the strong foundation for your future issues.

He Used to.......

My father used to deliver valuable speeches at weddings.

One such speech is as follows:

"We must treat our parents, relatives and adults as much as we can. We must always take their advice.
But at your own home, whether to keep the pot containing flower on dining table or by the side of the window shall only be decided by the two of you."

In Sinhala in his own words:

"Kasaada bandata passe Ammala Thaththalata, Nadayinta saha Wadihitiyanta bohoma hondata salakanna ona. E ayage awawaada anushaasana labaaganna ona.
E vunata, thamunge gedara thiyana mal pochchiya thiyanne kaama mese langada, nathnam janele gawada kiyana eka theeranaya karanna ona oya denna witharai. Wena katawath ekata angili gahanna thiyanna epa.

This story is very meaningful and gives one of the best advices to a newly wedded couple.

His Favourite Song

When we were small our famous trip was to go to Loku Amma's Place. It was situated in Pitabeddara, a rural village surrounded with tea plantations. Loku Thaththa and Loku Amma treated us well and prepared for our visit weeks ahead. The house was located at the top of a mountain where we can see a small stream called "Dola".

In the evening, Thaththa used to sit with us in front of the house and tell stories. We listened to him with much pleassure. Sometimes he repeated the same story but we never got bored because they were well organized stories with lot of amusement.

At the end of the stories we used to sing songs. My sisters were good in singing and as a child I also tried my best to sing songs. I sang "Issara Kale Handa Mama.........". Thaththa used to sing a very special song. It started as "Mathaa.......", a song which could make our eyes wet. The song was about mother. The special thing to note is my father never had the opportunity to have his mother's love because he lost her when he was very small, similar to Prince Siddhartha who became Lord Buddha. But the way he sang gave us a picture how he should have treated his mother if she lived. She might have been very proud to have such a great son.

My youngest sister told that she remember the lyrics of that song. I shall publish them in future as a Tribute to him

Ananda Karunaratna

Thaththa at My Youngest Sister's Wedding

This pictue shows how happy and proud he was

Accept the Good Things of People & Ignore the Bad

Today I woke up with this idea in mind. The physical age and the mental age of common people are completely different. In my view, we all have this difference but what matters is how many instances we reveal it to the others.

Some times you may feel the first paragraph does not relate to the topic, but believe me it is so. People who do not adhere to the maturity expected from his/ her age always do blunders and inappropriate things and we think they are bad characteristics of them.

We all have good qualities and if we can squeeze them from every individual we will be able to learn through the university of experience. What I thought was to ignore the bad things of individuals ( This applies only to adults of physical age , I won't comment on children) and see them only through their good qualities.

Hope this will be a succesful effort in my journey to read people.

We are Proud of You

Dear Thaththa,

I know from the very first day I was born, you were behind me in every achievement I made.
The pleasent smile I inherited from you helped me to face people as a pleasing personality. Your kind way of greeting people allowed me to be with people so I never felt I was alone. Your knowledge in the English language guided me to communicate with people with confidence. Your way of speaking to people never allowed me to hurt anyone.

You have given life to five strong personalities. I'm sure we all made you proud and that's why you passed away without worries. I know everything you did for the benefit of us and one day we all tell our flesh & blood that how great you were. We are capable of telling the world that we are the proud children of "Ananda Karunaratna"who never hurt anybody and loved by many people.

Thaththa, though I tried my best not to cry as an adult, every morning I wake up with tears in my eyes. I never see you in my dreams because you are not a dream to me. Once I close my eyes I can visualise the kind face of you and that enables me to face the world with confidence.

I did something to make my father happy

Few weeks ago, I sent an Email to my youngest sister. In that, I mentioned " I want my parents to be the same in my next birth". She has told that to Thaththa few days before he passed away. That might have made him happy.

Yes Thaththa, I want you to be my father just once before you attain Nibbana.

I Lost Him Forever

I lost my father, the most adorable person in my life. It took 10 days for me to recollect my memory on him. I was thinking in the dark, hours spent to recall the joyful times we spent together finding that I will never ever be with him.

He always appeared with a smile to make people happy. The villagers loved him a lot and called him " Ananda Mahaththaya". Being an English teacher he used to teach English to children and it was almost free. Money was not a big issue for him. He was clearly out of the so called race among people who pursue wealth, power, etc. what they believe as the most important things in life. Instead he earned people.

I remember what he gave me as a child. The small amount of extra money he earned was spent on buying Ayya and me a Construction Set, a Mechano Set which paved the path for us to achieve the things in life. I remember how he bought me "Vidusara" the science paper every week.

The salient feature of his life was to accept whatever happens and he adjusts to the situation. He was so kind and always told me to be kind.

I have only one wish. I don't want him to attain Nibbana. I want him to be my father only once in my life since I have lot of things to tell him which I was unable to tell and I have lot of things to do on behalf of him. Then I want him to attain Nibbana and never suffer again in his life for a slightest thing in life.

Thaththa, I want to be like you, kind and simple and I will never hurt anyone in this life .