Devotees Experience - Contributed by Amrita Satpathy

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Devotees Experience - Contributed by Amrita Satpathy

 

It had been a long time since my parents could leave me all by

myself. After a period of prolonged illness, I had been totally

drained of my mental and physical strength. There was time in my

life when I could do things all by myself. Once upon a time, I

savoured the joys of a solitary existence, wallowing in the warmth

of my being. But those were things of the past. Solitude was now

terrifying. It was as if life was mocking at me. But there comes a

moment, a moment of epiphany in life, which heralds the coming of

good times. Miracles happen, however tiny. You have to believe in

them.

 

That evening in June, my parents had to leave me behind. I had

managed to put a brave front and had calmly agreed to stay by

myself. I had decided not to let my fears get the better of me.

Because they had been invited to attend a wedding ceremony and were

going to be late, I had asked a friend of mine to give me company

for a few hours. My parents left. And I waited for my friend to

arrive. She had called to confirm that she would reach me in half an

hour's time. Gradually the afternoon melted into picturesque summer

dusk. The sky was splattered with myriad hues. I stood on the

verandah, looking at the scene outside. Children were playing

happily. A cool breeze was cheerfully blowing. My parents kept

calling me to ensure everything was fine. As the blissful dusk

transformed into the darkness of the evening, I felt the shadows of

fear slowly creeping into my heart. My friend had still not

arrived…..

 

I sat watching the T. V. with empty eyes, to distract myself.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. I was relieved; maybe my friend had

arrived at last. I opened the door, and who should be standing

before me? It was my aunt, a cousin of my mother's. What was she

doing here, when she should have been at the wedding? I asked her to

come in. But she was in a hurry. She was on her way to the ceremony,

and decided to stop by and deliver a little packet on the spur of

the moment. I took the packet and she left. By then, it was already

dark outside. It was quiet and eerie. The street lamps had flickered

to life, trying their best to cheer up the murky lanes and alleys

and my miserable self.

 

I stared at the packet for a long time. It was from a friend of my

mother's. Curiosity got the better of me and I opened it. To my

surprise and delight, out came a little framed picture of Sai Baba,

with a little packet of holy vibhuti and prasad. And it had come all

the way from Shirdi! My mother's friend had been to Shirdi and had

sent it for her. But for me it was a divine moment. My friend had

arrived. Baba was my friend and he had come to ease the mental and

physical agony that I was going through. I felt lonely no longer. I

realized a friend was there for me, to help me in times of distress,

to talk to me when there was nobody around. It was as if the colours

of the sky had filled my bleak world with richness. The picture of

Baba came as a blessing. I began to feel a lot better. I spent the

evening, doing my work.

 

Soon, my parents returned. And with each passing day I began to

regain my strength. I started enjoying the pleasures of solitude; I

had learnt to do things on my own. Although it took me several

months to become my usual self, I remained undeterred and kept

fighting to get back my lost state of health. Every time the dark

clouds of depressive bouts shrouded me, I looked into Baba's eyes

and they vanished within a second. Miracles do not happen, they have

to be sensed. Miracles do not announce themselves with a flash of

lightening or a peal of thunder. It is the spark within, that

whispers quietly into your heart that a blessing has been granted to

you and that things will be all right...Thank you Baba, for being

there for me and with me.

 

Jai Sai Ram

Amrita Satpathy