Still basking in Her love

[Guest guest]

Namah Shivayah to all of my Amma siblings,

 

Just got back from the Ann Arbor/MI programs. I can't quite sum it

up so forgive my wandering tone...

 

The staff of the Ypsilanti Marriott were so welcoming. I was so

pleasantly surprised by the large number of hotel employees who came

for darshan -- and more than once at that! The general manager and

events/convention manager invited Amma back for next year, so

hopefully the event has found a 'home'!

 

I had the most amazing time with Amma yet. I'm not sure what I have

done to be so deserving of the fantastic experiences, but it must

have been something good, because wow. Undeserving child, me.

 

I had made a basket to offer to Amma, and was so excited to give it

to Her. I was anxious the entire night to have my hug from our Ma! I

was fixing the flowers over and over again, getting caught up in the

small details that did not really matter. I lugged the basket up the

darshan line (it was heavy!) and handed it to the lap attendant who

handed it to another, who showed it to Amma just as She embraced me.

It sounded as if Ma was surprised that *I* had made up the basket.

She touched the entire thing from right to left, top to bottom as

She hugged me with the other arm. Then she hugged me so tightly with

both arms and whispered into my ear. It was *incredible*. I had the

most intense darshan hug experience yet. Amma put sandalwood paste

on my forehead (a first for me) and got an apple from the side. She

put the apple in my hand and while She was still holding it with Her

own hand, She looked at me deeply in the eye and said, "PRASAD." She

was very serious about making sure I got that! I couldn't stand up

because my entire body was shaking and I was crying. I crawled off

to the side and sat in a chair, where I cried for a good couple of

hours, just staring at our Ma. Such an overwhelming experience.

 

Many other tidbits I'll be happy to share after I get some rest. It

was lovely to see Iswari, Bala, Supriti, Christine, and everyone

else.

 

With lots of love,

Still reeling,

Erica