Back to temple roots

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I have ever heard can be expressed simply: “Go back to your roots, and let sleeping dogs lie.” It reminds us that not every old wound needs to be reopened. Sometimes wisdom is found not in fighting the past, but in returning to what nourishes the heart.

“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions.” — Bhagavad Gita 2:47

Kristen watched the morning bus roll quietly through villages, carrying her and her two children toward the temple where generations of her family had once prayed. The children gazed through the windows, asking questions about the old banyan trees, the river, and the temple bells that echoed across the fields.

“Why are we going here?” her youngest asked.

Kristen smiled.

“Because this is where our roots began. When life becomes noisy, we return to the place that reminds us who we are.”

Along the journey, they passed roads that held memories—some joyful, some painful. Friends who had become strangers, arguments that had divided families, and words that could never be taken back. For a moment, she thought about revisiting those chapters.

Then she remembered the old saying her grandmother often repeated: “Let sleeping dogs lie.”

She realized that not every unanswered question deserved an answer, and not every wound needed to be touched again. Some doors were better left closed so that peace could enter through the open ones.As the bus reached the temple, the children removed their shoes and walked beside her in silence.

The fragrance of flowers and incense filled the air. The ancient stones had witnessed countless generations seeking comfort, forgiveness, and strength.

Kristen folded her hands in prayer. She did not ask for wealth or success. She simply prayed for wisdom—to teach her children kindness, humility, and the courage to remember where they came from.

That day, the greatest inheritance she gave them was not money or possessions, but the understanding that roots keep a tree standing when storms arrive.The journey home was quiet.

The children smiled, carrying small packets of sacred flowers, while Kristen carried something even greater—a heart that no longer wished to awaken old conflicts.

Sometimes the strongest step forward begins by returning to the place where your spirit first learned to bow in gratitude.

“Abandon all varieties of duty and surrender unto Me alone. I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” — Bhagavad Gita 18:66