He posted it on LinkedIn
I am a proud father to 2 wonderful kids.
Mana & I have done our best to teach them the values our parents taught us, & thankfully they've imbibed the very best of all that they were surrounded with.
Like all children do, mine have made me a better person. Our relationship has evolved into a friendship & we discuss everything under the sun - personal lives, work, our goals & our fears.
Strangely though, past a certain point, our dynamics started to change. From me being their guiding light & moral compass for all those years, the equation has reversed off late.
Since my Dad passed, amazingly, my kids have taken his place. Now, I lean on them for direction & perspective.
Athiya’s a gentle & kind soul, comfortable in her own skin. Nothing fazes her. She's got this zen like calmness. Fiercely independent, & yet so adaptive. She’s sure & focussed.
Watching her go about her life in the last few years, I’ve felt the urge to be more like her. And it’s led to a very conscious attempt at being more calm, mindful & more open.
Ahan pushes me to be better everyday. Whether it's my fitness or how I conduct myself around others. And not by telling me things, but by just simply being the kind of man he’s turned out to be.
Coming from a father about his own son, this may sound strange. But there are aspects of his personality, which are extremely inspiring for a 60+ year old constantly looking to level up.
He’s polite, doesn’t speak unless he’s clear about what he wants to communicate, lives by the belief that there’s space for everyone under the sun, & is genuinely invested in the growth of people he loves. And like my Dad, he’s very gentle in conflict.
Even today, despite being fully grown adults, their arms are open for me. Neither of them are shy about hugging their papa. On the hard days, the physical touch gives me the confidence that things will be better.
A few people have pointed out to me in some of my earlier posts that LinkedIn is a place for only certain kinds of people or content. So let me tell you why I'm sharing this here.
As professionals, business persons, entrepreneurs, artists etc. we have the tendency to look outwards for inspiration. We want to be more like that person who’s got our dream job. We want to have the same body language of a great speaker. We want to have the pitching skills of so and so founder, etc etc.
Take a moment to look around you. At your parents, kids, your friends or your own team.
It may be easier to imbibe some of their best qualities. It will be a lot easier to communicate with them. The feedback they’ll give you will be more meaningful. And they want nothing but the best for you.
Who they might inspire you to be, may just be the person you really want to or need to be.
In all honesty, I love this version of me, that my kids have helped me become. I’m calmer, braver, more driven and a lot more confident about where I’m headed.
Thank you, Athiya & Ahan!
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