Dear Pat
Hari Om
Aum Sai Ram
I trust you are well on this special and auspicious day—your birthday.
This morning, in a moment of quiet contemplation, I found myself reflecting on how our beautiful friendship began—how we first met, how our bond blossomed, and how I soon became an integral part of the broader Naicker family. Over the decades, I grew close to all your siblings, each one carrying the same warmth, affection, and goodness. We go back a long, long way—more than sixty years of brotherhood and shared memories.
Though we may not see each other often, distance has never separated our hearts. Swami has truly blessed you—with Pam as your soul partner and with two wonderful children whose achievements are a story for another day.
You served the community through your business for so many years, always with quiet dignity, deep integrity, and unwavering respect. You treated your customers—mostly Black South Africans—with rare kindness and humanity, qualities that are sadly scarce in today’s world. Your goodness was not an act; it was simply who you were.
And today, as a grandfather—a thatha—your love knows no bounds. Your devotion to family reflects Swami’s teachings of duty, compassion, and unconditional love.
Both of us came into this world in the same year, 1958—my birth on 24 July and yours today, 14 November. We matriculated fifty years ago, and our reunion earlier this year brought back such touching and joyful memories. Though I’ve lived in Johannesburg for seven years now, my connection with Sister Chu Chu and your brother-in-law remains as strong as ever. I do miss seeing the younger sisters more often, but Dhaya and Sagree still cross my path from time to time.
Of course, the foundation of all this love was laid by the patriarch and matriarch of the family—your Dad, Iyaloo Naicker, and Mum. They nurtured a home where unity, respect, and devotion flourished, and all of you carry that legacy forward.
Pat, I am—and will always remain—an integral part of you and your family. You are a child and instrument of the Master. May Swami shower His blessings on you today and always.
Have a wonderful birthday, young chap!
With love and warm regards,
Siva
