Jain Center Los Angeles CA 2008 09 Pratishta Souvenior

Author(s): Jain Center So CA Los Angeles
Publisher: USA Jain Center Southern California

Page 127

THE TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE BENEFITS
OF LIFE WITH THE JAIN CENTER
Karishma Shah
I cannot imagine my life without the Jain Center of Southern California. Since the age of eight, the Jain Center has been wholly integrated into my life. The tangible results include attending pathshala, learning sutras, doing pratikaman, going to winter camps, being involved in JCYC and YJA and continuing classes as a young adult. While those activities define a large part of my childhood, it is because of the intangible benefits I have gained over these past 17 years that I consider myself so blessed.
The appeal of coming to the Jain Center as a child was to socialize and meet up with friends. Since high school, however, the reality was that most of the people I would anxiously wait to see every other week, moved away for work or school. Returning after four years of college, I was definitely unsure about whether or not I wanted to continue with the young adult classes. As in most cases, my parents gave me a little push in the right direction, and I started attending class regularly.
For the first time in my life, I realized how much I enjoyed being there, how comfortable I felt, how I could have the worst week and still feel an inner calm after class. It is exactly because of these intangible effects that I consider myself so privileged. It is a connection that I will always have.
I just moved to San Francisco this past week and, besides my family and friends, I know that the Jain Center of Southern California is what I am going to miss the most. However thanks to all of my teachers and wonderful inspirations throughout these years, I feel as though I have been able to build a strong spiritual foundation. It is one which I hope I can continue to build on my entire life.
Karishma Shah is a Jain Center of Southern California Pathshala alumna. She can be contacted at karishmavs@gmail.com.
"Be the Change you wish to see in the World"
All good wishes for the occasion of pratightha Oahotçav
to Jain Center of Southern California
from: Ramesh, Nisha, Ronak, Neera Jhaveri 4261 Crystal Circle, Cypress, CA 90630
Ph: 714-827-9160