One of my first prayers will be for family harmony. And there are two aspects to it -- Maintaining harmonious family with my parents and siblings as well as to work towards starting a nuclear family unit of my own.
My father was hardly around as I was growing up. But my mother was a thorough woman and her way of bringing us up reaped benefits. I would proudly say that her children all turned up pretty well and I love her deeply for that.
My elder brother is dependable and mature. Without a father figure in my growing years, he was the one I looked up to for a manhood example. I would like to think that I am pretty independent, and hence, did not have much need to call upon my elder brother, but he was there when necessary. He had since married and became a major care-giver for the rest of us.
My younger sister and I were much closer in terms of age compared to the age gap with my elder brother. Hence, there were many times that I think of her as my peer rather than a junior member of the family. In fact, as we grow from childhood to adulthood, there are times when her maturity exceeds me. The only thing that my sister lacked compared to the rest of the family is the spiritual depth of our faith which we hoped she would develop.
Being a nature introvert, I would claim that I am never the most active element in my family dynamics. But harmony is prevalent and is also the first of the Golden Guidelines of Faith offered by Toda Sensei.
I read segments of the Song of Triumph chapter of the New Human Revolution today. In it, Sensei presided over the marriage of two pairs of young couples. He had shared before that if a man and wife could work hand-in-hand for Kosen-Rufu, they will be able to create tremendous energy in bringing happiness to the people around them as well as themselves.
My life is dedicated to Kosen-Rufu. I made that vow to my mentor before and I would not forget it. And I am truly and deeply overwhelmed with gratitude that the girlfriend also cherishes the same conviction for Kosen-Rufu and I have been offering my thanks before the Gohonzon. Sensei may not be able to preside over our union, but I am sure he is watching over our growth. Our relationship may be new and is only budding. But I will do my utmost to make it a value-creating one.
