Take a Deep Breath, Sky!

From an early age, we experience emotional distress when unexpected things happen that we don't always know how to deal with. As we grow up, we learn about various ways to deal with our emotions. Quite often we learn that many situations in life resolve themselves. All we need to do is be patient and accept things. The earlier we can learn this lesson, the more we can approach life with peace and happiness.

While trying to help my five-year old granddaughter with her emotional ups and downs, I was inspired to write this story. After reading it to her, to my surprise, she understood the message and was able to relax. I was glad to see that my focus on spirituality, years of practicing meditation and affinity with nature had a practical benefit.

Thinking that this story could help other parents and children, I bring you "Take a Deep Breath, Sky!" It is a wonderful story for children to understand the immense value in patience and acceptance. Using nature as the backdrop, it beautifully teaches how children can use their breath, relaxation, and a little bit of patience to overcome anger, frustration, and fear, gaining much-needed tools that will last a lifetime.

I hope that the beautiful illustrations in the book will make your children feel as if they are part of the scene. They will identify with Sky's emotions and learn from Mr. Mountain's wisdom!

Dilip Parekh is a fun grandpa who enjoys stretching his imagination with his grandchildren, Anya and Kavi. He is fascinated by nature - from the vastness of the blue sky and grandeur of the mountains to the stillness of lakes - and spends free time taking long walks on the beach with his beloved wife, Sushama.

Grounded in Jain principles and guided by his spiritual idol, Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai, Dilip is a regular practitioner of yoga, prayers and meditation. He is committed to passing his learnings to younger generations through his writing. He encourages them to improve their well-being through self-trust, compassion, love and generosity.

A native of India with significant roots in Los Angeles, California, Dilip worked for four decades in IT and now volunteers as an Editor of Jain Digest, an international magazine focused on promoting human values. Through all his experiences, his biggest learning is that life is much bigger and grander when in service to others.