Realizing I needed a better way to refer to him, I moved on to "Master." I liked that word a lot, especially since I experienced Prem as someone with a whole lot of mastery. And besides, I reasoned, the concept of "Master" was known to many people. Hey, there were Master carpenters, right? And Master musicians. And Master chefs. And Master mechanics, too. Using the word "Master" to describe someone with extraordinary abilities was not hype or a con job. It was both fitting and accurate.

Be that as it may, I noticed that the word sometimes made people uncomfortable. For example, they assumed I was referring to a person who thought he was superior to the average bloke -- someone who wielded Mastery over others. This was not my experience of Prem. No way. Not then. Not now. But hey, if my choice of the word "Master" created doubt and fear in the minds of others, it was time to let it go -- or at least only use it in the company of people who were not triggered by it.

Which brought me to the word "Teacher" -- a descriptor, which, for most people, was far less polarizing than Guru or Master. Everyone, somewhere a long the line, has had a teacher, no? Then again, for some people, even my closest friends, the word "teacher" carries some negative connotations -- old memories of boring Professors or cranky elders giving too much homework.

OK. No "Guru", no "Master", no "Teacher". Hmmm... anything else in the thesaurus?

Well, then, how about "Guide" -- a word that's about as non-threatening as they come -- simply a title for someone who helps you get to your destination. Is that such a bad thing? I don't think so, unless, of course, it conjures up are images of slick tour guides quoting robotically from prepared scripts and extending their hand in your direction for a tip.

Bye bye "Guide". Which brings us, I guess, to the increasingly popular "Friend", or more specifically "The Friend", a phrase the Sufi poet, Rumi, often used to describe Shams a Tabriz, his ___________ (fill in the blank, folks). Personally speaking, I've always resonated with the word "Friend", not just because I love Rumi's poetry, but because everyone knows how important it is to actually have a friend -- someone you can count on.... someone who's there when you need them -- someone you are so connected to that even if you don't see that person for ten years it feels like no time has passed.

Then again, when most people think of "Friend", they usually assume it's someone you have lunch with regularly, or watch the Superbowl with, or text three times a day. Since none of these behaviors come close to describing my relationship with Prem, I guess I'll need to retire that word, as well.

So there you have it. Five imperfect nouns: Guru, Master, Teacher, Guide, and Friend. But wait! There's more! Why limit it to five, especially since last night, while showering, a sixth noun came to mind. Ready?

Marigold.

What? Huh? Really? Marigold? Like the flower? Sure, why not? A marigold is not only beautiful to look at, but positioned next to a tomato plant, it radically increases the odds of that plant ripening all the way to fruition. Marigolds, by their very nature, keep aphids, mosquitoes, nematodes, beetles, and even rabbits away. In other words, just the proximity of a marigold protects a tomato plant from common obstacles to growth. "Companion planting" it's called -- nature's way of pairing two forms of life in a way that ensures the best possible result. The marigold does its thing and the tomato plant gets the benefit -- having a much greater chance of growing to its full potential.

A few mozzarella slices. A little salt. A glass of wine. Yum!

PremRawat.com
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday