Life Lesson Learned Number 4: Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, I have come to realize that the loss of my father was a more significant blow to my personal and professional life than I might have realized back then. I was only twenty-three at the time of his murder; I was recently married and just starting my career. In my early years I had relied on him for advice. Clearly, my father, who was an experienced business entrepreneur and devoted family man, could have played an important role as a counselor in both areas. He was a man of honor and integrity. He had been popular and well liked in India and New York City, known for his respectful treatment of people rich and poor. He would have been an ideal role model.
After my father’s death I had no one like him to whom I could turn for advice. My mother was a wonderful woman, but her life experience did not equip her to provide guidance regarding my business activities. While it is true that, over the years, I benefited from the sage counsel of various mentors, I am certain that, had my father lived, I would have begun my career as an entrepreneur much earlier than I did, and may well have been more successful in my initial efforts. Simply put, he was irreplaceable.