In the course of lifetime, you will meet many people who will misconstrue your gentle manners with weakness, and try to either take advantage of you, or intimidate you. You must be strong, as strong as the Diamond, while dealing with such predatory people. You must show them by your words and actions that your gentleness is not weakness that can be pushed around. You must make them realize that your compassion, kindness and humility mustn't be mistaken as passive or meek behavior. In my view, week, timid and spineless are those predatory people, who lack strength and courage; while you are the one with true inner strength and tremendous courage - because it is the Gentleness that is indeed founded on strength and prompted by Love. Stay gentle, kind, compassionate and yet extremely strong - because you are the Diamond, and you must maintain your character.

More Quotes by Deodatta V. Shenai-Khatkhate

Sharing a strange experience from my student years at Manchester, England, during late 1970's. I had just arrived in England from India, and was searching for an accommodation, basically a room to rent. I always used to call the English landlords by phnoe first, to ensure that a room was available, and then visit those addresses, located miles away, by taking the bus or a train. Upon my arrival, I was always told that either there was no room at all or that the room was just rented. After a dozen or so such frustrating experiences, it became clear to me that the room was always available - but those English landlords and landladies were reluctant to rent it to someone like me, an Indian or a non-white person. Interestingly, the room was always available to my voice on the phone, because my voice could not reveal either my skin color, or my race, or my national origin. The mystery was thus dispelled, and yet that realization was surely a rude awakening to the true color of English society. It was my first encounter with prejudice and discrimination, and the most shocking moment that shatters one's innocence completely - especially after coming from a noble culture and the best upbringing that takes pride in Equality. I shall always remain thankful to England for the best education that I received during my M.S. and Ph.D., as much as for such exposure to the dark side of the real world. Years later, after coming to America, I realized that America is a whole new wonderful world that welcomes all, and treats everyone with respect and dignity they deserve. God Bless America!