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Summary of Question:	I need someone's help
Category:	Sikh Practices
Date Posted:	Monday, 8/14/2000 7:41 PM MDT

Waheguru ji ka khasla,

Waheguru ji ki fateh.

Hello, I am a 14 year old girl that is from New Jersey in the United States.I need someone's advice, you see I just came back from a sikh camp and I have decided to stop shaving and shaping my eyebrows. I learned that just because people may tease me for whatever it is... thick eyebrows, hairy legs, or long hair...I shouldn't care what they say, what I should care about is reaching my goal which is to take amrit and eventally come over the 5 sins...kaam, krodh,lob,moh,ankaar. But the problem is that my mom doesn't believe that I should do this and she is really on my case and trying to inforce me to shave or do my eyesbrows or whatever. I don't want to and she has got to understand that I have some right in my life to decide somethings. So tell me... what should I do? I mean I love my mom a lot but I don't want to listen to what she has to say because I feel that she is wrong... it hurts me that all my friends can be so proud of me but my mom just thinks of this as a big joke! She thinks that I will eventuall

y give in and start shaving again... but I am preety serious about this. Thank you for your time and please try to respond wisely... I will be checking in for your answer so.... please reply... I am willing to listen to anyone's opinion on this. Thank you.

Waheguru ji ka khasla,
Waheguru ji ke fateh.
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Reply
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I don't know you but I'm very proud of you. You are having a similar problem that many of us Americans had when we became Sikh. Our parents threatened us in all kinds of ways. I grew up in a christian religion. I had just turned 18 when I decided to go the Khlasa way. After several weeks of trying to get me to change, my mother finally said "I'm going to the store. When I get back either have your hair cut or be out of the house."
I packed a few clothes into a backpack and walked out the door. I just starting walking down the street. My brother came in the car after a while and found me. He took me to a Sikh friends' house and I have never looked back. This all happened in 1969.
My parents have disowned me and we hardly ever speak. Is that a high price to pay? To me it is nothing, because I have the True Guru which is like all the gold and jewels and the light of a million suns. God puts many tests here for us. Those who overcome them to live as khalsa are the spiritual heroes.
Stick to your guns. Guru will cover you. When you are old and look back on your life, do you want to be proud that you stood up? Or sad that you gave in to temporary gains. Never give up long term values for temporary benefits.
LSK