Dated 3rd July 2009.

Dear Matoo, Now that you are turning into a young lady and able to understand what life is all about, I have put together a few lines whi h of ourse I too! fro" the net and thought of writing to you. #in e your birth, I have seen you grow up and evolve everyday and the pleasure it gives "e annot be e$pressed in words. %hese early years of your life are the foundation that will help you build a strong s!ys raper in the world, on e you are ready. &s your dad, I annot help but feel an$ious that a" I not doing enough to help you live a full life.

'en e a" ta!ing this opportunity to pen down a few prin iples in life that will help you "a!e the right hoi es irrespe tive of what ourse you de ide to ta!e your life on. (se these as guidelines and I a" sure they will give you onfiden e and faith to do the right thing.

Nature, if studied diligently, abounds with prin iples that an help us lead a fulfilling life in syn with it. & great e$a"ple is the pro ess that leads to the for"ation of dia"onds.

%e hni ally, a dia"ond is "ade of a single ele"ent )) *arbon. +ears of intense pressure and hard wor! onverts *arbon fro" its softer oal version to the pre ious dia"ond for". ,hile graphite arbon ato"s are bound to ea h other by only three bonds, in a dia"ond, they "anage to for" a fourth bond, whi h results in the transfor"ation to its glittering for".

%he sa"e is true in life as well. %o shine and be o"e invaluable, you have to strive and follow the dis ipline of developing all four bonds. %hese four bonds are- .hysi al, /"otional, Mental and #piritual bonds, whi h, if strengthened, will give you the strength and lu"inosity to live a full

life.

a0

.hysi al 1ond- %his on erns our physi al body, its "aterial and

"onetary2e ono"i needs. It in ludes the need for appre iation fro" others and other so ietal a hieve"ents. %a!ing are of this bond would "ean being physi ally fit, being able to fulfil the basi needs for yourself and your fa"ily.

b0

Mental 1ond- %his an also be defined as I3, but needs to be ta!en

in onte$t with !nowledge, "ental a u"en and true edu ation. %his is what will help you !eep yourself updated in your profession and solve proble"s.

/"otional 1ond- %his in ludes the ability to for" "eaningful and

lasting relationships as well as onne ting with the so iety as a whole. It would in lude ideas about strengthening self estee", love, appre iation and being able to !eep o""it"ents and pro"ises.

d0

#piritual 1ond- %his is the bond with 4od, our reator. It is also

the basis of so"ething uni5ue to hu"ans )) "orality. It is this spiritual bond that leads to a prin iple)based life.

%hus, while ta!ing any de ision, !eep in "ind the perspe tive of these four bonds and ensure that none of the" are bro!en. Inevitably, you would have done the right thing. 6et "e e$plain this with nine funda"ental situations that hu"an beings onstantly find the"selves.

7. ,hen others "o ! you or try to drive you down, do not lose heart. 8e"e"ber not to brea! the e"otional and spiritual bond. 8e"ind yourself that you have to shine li!e a dia"ond and not brea! any of the bonds. Just fo us on what you have to do and things will be o!ay.

2. ,hen doubt reeps in and you feel s ared of others and what they will thin!, don9t worry. Just strengthen your physi al bond. 8eva"p your physi al appearan e and loo! li!e you "ean business. 'ow you loo! on the outside is a result of how you feel on the inside. 6et others gauge fro" how you loo! that you are indeed a dia"ond. %his will help you put other people in proper perspe tive. %hey are also hu"an beings and wonderful reations of 4od. #o why be afraid of so"eone:

3. ,hen you find yourself being dragged into an argu"ent or a 5uarrel, strengthen your e"otional bond. %hin! if it is worth it: &s! yourself honestly, is this really i"portant enough to argue about and endanger the e"otional bond: 8e"ind yourself that you never gain anything fro" an argu"ent but you always lose so"ething.

;. ,hen things are not going right and you feel defeated, have faith in the four bonds. /veryone in their lifeti"e has his2her share of setba !s. 6oo! at the" as a learning opportunity to strengthen your "ental bond and as a path to for"ing a brilliant dia"ond. %oughest of steel goes through the hardest of fire. 6earn fro" your setba !s. 8esear h the" and use the !nowledge to propel yourself forward. ,ith the onfiden e that you are "a!ing a dia"ond, you will have the strength to step ba ! and start afresh with a new approa h. %here is no reason why it should not wor!.

<. &s you grow up, ro"an e will be a riti al part of your life. If you feel it is ebbing away, do not feel inse ure. 6oo! at this as an opportunity to strengthen the e"otional and spiritual bonds in your life. 6oo! at the good things in the person you want to love and prioritise those over petty little things. Do so"ething spe ial for hi" and do it often. %his will for" a strong e"otional bond between you two and help you to live a o"plete life.

=. ,hen your progress in your >ob is slowing down, don9t worry. #trengthen your "ental, e"otional and spiritual bond with your organisation. %hin! 9I an do better9. ,hen you thin! that, ways to do your wor! better will appear. It will draw on your innate strengths and swit h on your reative powers. #trengthen the spiritual bond by putting servi e first. ?ther things li!e "oney will ta!e are of itself.

@. &s a parent, if things are not going right with your fa"ily, step ba ! and thin! what is really bothering you. Is it the fa t that your !ids are not "a!ing the right hoi es or is it that they are not helping you fulfill your in o"plete desires. Aor ing the" to "a!e hoi es to live a life that a tually 9you9 want is brea!ing the e"otional bond that your hildren pla e in you. +ou need to en ourage the" and enable the" to a hieve their true potential. ?n the other hand, if they are funda"entally on the wrong path, then you are duty bound to show this fa t to the" and try to understand why they are hoosing that path. +ou have to tell the" how they should a t, rather than >ust snubbing and grounding the". %his route "ight onsu"e a lot of ti"e and effort on your part, but it will definitely strengthen your e"otional bond with your hildren.

B. ,hen you feel laCy to e$er ise or get te"pted to feast on >un! food, thin! of its long)ter" i"pli ations. Doing this is a tually having a dire t i"pa t on your physi al bond whi h will prevent you fro" a hieving your true potential and be o"ing a dia"ond. Just "a!ing that bit of e$tra effort to go for the 30 "inute >og or to resist the te"ptation to eat that pie e of burger will not only "a!e you healthy but will also give you onfiden e in yourself

9. Ainally, I have a 5uestion for you. ,ould you do so"ething li!e

bad"outhing your friend if you !new with absolute surety that no one would ever o"e to !now and there would be absolutely no har" to anyone at all: ?ne s hool of though "ight say that it is perfe tly fine to do so in this s enario, 1ut you will brea! the spiritual bond that you have with your friend. +our friend has pla ed his2her trust in you even if he or she "ight not be able to !now everything that you do or say. +our friendships go beyond the body, "ind and heart. It goes to the fourth riti al di"ension )) the soul. %hus re"aining faithful to your friends and fa"ily is a riti al ele"ent to elevate your spiritual onne tion with the".

I sin erely hope that these prin iples help you "a!e the right hoi es in life, wherever destiny ta!es you. &nd you "ust re"e"ber, no "atter what, your "a""a and papa are always there for you.

6ove, Dad