Mother, please don't mourn for me; I'm still here, though you don't see. I'm right by your side each night and day and within your heart I long to stay. My body is gone but I'm always near I'm everything you feel, see or hear. My spirit is free, but I'll never depart as long as you keep me alive in your heart. I'll never wander out of your sight-- I'm the brightest star on a summer night. I'll never be beyond your reach-- I'm the warm moist sand when you're at the beach. I'm the colorful leaves when fall comes around, And the pure white snow that blankets the ground. I'm the beautiful flowers of which you're so fond-- The clear cool water in a quiet pond. I'm the first bright blossom you'll see in the spring; The first warm raindrop that April will bring. I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine, And you’ll see that the face in the moon is mine. When you start thinking there’s no one to love you, You can talk to me through the Lord above you. I’ll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees, And you’ll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze. I’m the hot salty tears that flow when you weep And the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep. I’m the smile you see on baby’s face. Just look for me, Mommy, I’m every place! Butterfly Memorial poems Hope you are well Naveen, We all miss you!

You are never far from us. This I know.

All Is Well Death is nothing at all, I have only slipped into the next room I am I and you are you Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by my old familiar name, Speak to me in the easy way which you always used Put no difference in your tone, Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household world that it always was, Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it. Life means all that it ever meant. It it the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? All is well. Henry Scott Holland We all love you and miss you very much Naveen!

Memories are treasures Time cannot take away, So may you be surrounded By happy ones today. May all the love and tenderness Of golden years well spent, Come back today to fill your heart With beauty and content. And may you walk down memory lane And meet the one you love, For while you cannot see him, He’ll be watching from above. So for his sake be happy And show him that his love, Has proven strong and big enough, To reach down from above. ~ Helen Steiner Rice ~

A friend, a mentor and someone with a zest for life. Naveen, you were a very charismatic person and I looked up to you and am proud that I got to know you as a friend..Hope you are watching us from up above and know that you will be missed dearly Pearl Behl

Come, my friends, 'T is not too late to seek a newer world. Push off, and sitting well in order smite The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths Of all the western stars, until I die. It may be that the gulfs will wash us down: It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, And see the great Achilles, whom we knew. Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho' We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. --Tennyson: Ulysses Rest in peace, dear friend.

Naveen pursued graduate studies under my supervision from 1996 until 1999 when he defended his Master’s thesis. He was a member of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience here at the University of Western Ontario and his thesis won an award from the Program for the best thesis examined that year. It was a real priviledge working with Naveen and I recall many happy memories of those years. We often worked together on the computer and I remember the time when we were trying out new speech-to-text software. The mistakes the computer made were often hilarious and we were unable to function without giggling for quite some time. Usually we were analyzing data from Naveen’s experiments or writing abstracts and other scientific communications. Our discussions were both exciting and productive; Naveen’s commitment to excellence was obvious and I knew that he would go on to great success whatever he chose to do. I was saddened to learn of his illness but hopeful that he might prevail in his fight and for a while he did. The news of his passing has reinforced how fragile life is and why one must live it to the full. Naveen did just that and he will be remembered for his many achievements and for embracing life without reservation. My condolences to his family and to his many friends. Michael Cook Here is a poem from an American poet who was noted for having a wonderful sense of humour. Naveen (who loved "The Onion") would have identified strongly with his sense of the ridiculous. For All Who Mourn That he was near to you so many a year But darkens your distress. Would you he were less worthy and less dear That you might grieve the less? He was a golden font that freely poured What goldenly endures, And though that font be gone, its bounty stored and treasured Still is yours. The past is deathless. Souls are wells too deep To spend their purest gains. All that he gave to you is yours to keep While memory remains. Who never had and lost, forlorn are they Far more that you and I who had and have. Judge not the price we pay For love that cannot die. Arthur Guiterman, 1871 - 1943

At the rising of the sun and at its going down, We remember them. At the blowing of the wind and in the chill of Winter, We remember them. At the opening of buds and in the rebirth of Spring, We remember them. At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of Summer, We remember them. At the rustling of leaves and the beauty of Autumn, We remember them. At the beginning of the year and when it ends, We remember them. As long as we live, they too will live; for they are now a part of us, as we remember them. When we are weary and in need of strength, We remember them. When we are lost and sick at heart, We remember them. When we have joys we yearn to share, We remember them. When we have decisions that are difficult to make, We remember them When we have achievements that are based on theirs, We remember them. As long as we live, they too shall live, for they are a part of us, as we remember them. With Deep and Sincere Sympathy, Love You Ranjoo

They are not dead, Who leave us this great heritage of remembering joy. They still live in our hearts, In the happiness we knew, in the dreams we shared. They still breathe, In the lingering fragrance, windblown, from their favourite flowers. They still smile in the moonlight’s silver, And laugh in the sunlight’s sparking gold. They still speak in the echoes of the words we’ve heard them say again and again. They still move, In the rhythm of waving grasses, in the dance of the tossing branches. They are not dead; Their memory is warm in our hearts, comfort in our sorrow. They are not apart from us, but part of us, For love is eternal, And those we love shall be with us throughout all eternity. Anon

Dear Deshpande Family, I work with Ranjoo at U.C. I learned a great deal about your beautiful family from her. Her family is very dear to her. I send my condolences to you and your family at this time of grief. I will continue to pray that God will be with you and see you through. I saw the pictures of Naveen on this web site, and he has left a great deal of memories and great joy for those who know him, and those who just met him. God's love, Mary Lou Ellison

I am standing on the sea shore, A ship sails in the morning breeze and starts for the ocean. She is an object of beauty and I stand watching her Till at last she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says: "She is gone." Gone! Where? Gone from my sight - that is all. She is just as large in the masts, hull and spars as she was when I saw her And just as able to bear her load of living freight to its destination. The diminished size and total loss of sight is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says, "She is gone", There are others who are watching her coming, and other voices take up a glad shout: "There she comes" - and that is dying. An horizon and just the limit of our sight. Lift us up, Oh Lord, that we may see further. Bishop Brent 1862 - 1926

We remember Naveen as a bright bal at the Bal Vihar of Chinmaya Mission in Burlington. We salute you and the family for your love, humility, sincerity and courage Sneh, Joti, Meena, Bina Chakraburtty & their extended families

A son could not be loved more by his family. My heart goes out to you. Melani Davis

You fought your battle so bravely. Would like you to know that you won. Your memories no one can snatch from us.

I met Naveen just once. I was just twelve then and he was at least 8 years older. But that didnt matter. We connected with ease, all thanks to him. He came up with interesting things to talk about and we chatted like we'd been in touch all along. Alas, he went back to Canada and we never really picked up from where we left our conversation. I will cherish these memories forever. Naveen, I hope that you find peace, wherever you are.

You are out of sight, but not out of our minds, our hearts Naveen. You will always remain with us. - Leena Aunty

He would’ve sniggered at the sentimentality in my thought, in his last mail he called himself ‘the same cynical SOB he’s always been.’ But may I be excused this time, Naveen? For your memory, smiling, pure, incisively irreverent will remain with me - encouraging me (as in your May mail), despite the grimness around, to ‘party like its 1999’. Those words, frivolous seeming, are testimony to your immense strength of spirit. Just as much as they convey your soaring sense of humour, unbeaten by odds. And finally, as always in the past, your words make me smile, because when I read them I knew, as I know now, that you will never really be far from us all. Sent by Gauri Sinh, 24 October 2009

He was funny. He made me laugh. Over the years, on his visits to India, back when we were young and silly. That really is the way I want to remember him. That humour bonded us over countries, time zones, distances…my brother, closest in age to me among all us siblings and cousins from my mother’s side. I’m no more young but perhaps just as silly. Because even though he’s not here anymore, I know he always will be. Laughing mischievously, as if at the great joke he’s played on life, that in taking him away it’s bonded him to us irrevocably. Like his humour did – over countries, times zones, distances… the tangible.

You are not gone Naveen.You will always be with us.You are the most precious gift from GOD to us. and we cherish your presence forever. Love always. Meena Vaishnavi

I remember Naveen for his indomitable zest for life – he was always the dreamer, always the idealist and he had that most admirable of all human qualities – he knew how to make people smile. Naveen, you will always be loved and remembered. For me, you and I are still flying our imaginary planes against the summer skies.

Naveen and I met on our first day of residency. Although we were both new to Vancouver and to our resident responsibilities, Naveen bore the seemingly daunting tasks of those first few weeks with the comfortable confidence, grace, and good humour that he continued to display throughout our friendship. I feel fortunate to have known him; he will be sadly missed.

Love Lives On Those we love remain with us for love itself lives on, and cherished memories never fade because a loved one's gone. Those we love can never be more than a thought apart, for as long as there is a memory, they'll live on in the heart. We miss you, Naveen.

You can shed tears that he is gone Or you can smile because he has lived You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left Your heart can be empty because you can't see him Or you can be full of the love that you shared You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday You can remember him and only that he is gone Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back Or you can do what he would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush I am the swift uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there. I did not die. - Mary Elizabeth Frye

I am I and you are you, whatever we were to each other that we still are. Speak to me in the easy way which you always used. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? Life means all that it ever meant, it is the same as it ever was.

Thank you for setting up this memorial to Naveen Deshpande. We hope that you find it a positive experience developing the site and that it becomes a place of comfort and inspiration for you to visit whenever you want or need to.