On the very last day of 2012, Harshida and I discovered an anonymous tag that made our year! Sometimes we are simply at a loss for words in describing the joy and gratitude we feel for being able to play this small role in people's journeys. (As context, this note refers to the Awakin / Wednesdays gatherings we have been fortunate to host for many years now.) The beautiful handwritten note that accompanied the tag read as follows:

 

Dear Mehta Family,

 

The kindness temple has been touching tens of thousands of lives over the last 15 years, generating a home base for a worldwide family and a platform of service and reflection replicated around the globe.

 

In honor of that milestone (and Nipun's birthday on Monday!) these 10 meditation benches were crafted as a gift in the spirit of supporting the family and community (literally and figuratively :)).

 

Nipun and ServiceSpace have continually worked to build platforms of positive deviation so it is fitting that they arrive on this occasion, as they represent the original "platforms of positive deviation" -- One for each of the ten paramis or perfections.

 

Each platform is handcrafted from either fir or birch, and represented a journey along an arc of improvement toward a perfect bench. The goal was not reached, but the wish is that those who use them may similarly take small steps toward perfecting ancient virtues and values.

 

With Great Love,

 

Wednesday's Children