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Good morning.  It’s never been a problem to get my three-year old to play, but getting him to eat or sleep is trickier.  One day a T-shirt came to my rescue, after I’d given up with the coaxing and cajoling.  It had three words on it, in bold capital letters: EAT, PLAY, SLEEP.  As I repeated the words aloud, a wave of delight passed over him at this picture pulled together of his daily activities. 

In ten days time, Sikhs around the world will be marking the birth, in 1469, of Guru Nanak, the founder of their faith.  We have a very simple motto which is attributed to him, the basic charter for Sikh life: nam japo, kirat karo, vand ke chhako.  It can be loosely translated into the formula PRAY, WORK, SHARE.  In the words of one non-Sikh commentator, it’s the ethic by which Sikhs strive to live ‘meditatively, industriously and generously’.

It can certainly help parents to have a formula to turn to, although you might risk getting too dogmatic in putting one to use.  In wider life, shared mottos tell the story of the things we most value.  For Sikhs, the pray-work-share mindset is seen to have barkat or be capable of generating a blessed kind of abundance.  It’s an idea which echoed, as it happens, in the name of Barack Obama, who became US President eight years ago today.

Nanak naam chardi kalaa, tere bhaane sarbat da bhalla.  Remembering you, Infinite Creator, may we remain ever positive and seek to serve the wider wellbeing of all.