I agree

[Guest guest]

Jaya Guru Datta,

 

Reading Gold Scorpion's reply brought to mind Sri Swamiji's teachings about not

forcing our families or others to accept Him, but to allow them to see for

themselves how His love plays out in our lives.

 

When this devotee first met Sri Swamiji, it was confusing for her mother, and

when she invited her to come and meet Sri Swamiji, her mother refused. In fact,

she continued to refuse for 20 years until the day she died to meet Him. But in

that time period, her perception of Sri Swamiji changed and her respect grew.

 

Sri Swamiji said several years ago in one of His talks that we should not try to

force our families and friends to accept Him, but to just live our lives and let

them see what happens. After knowing Sri Swamiji for four years, this devotee's

first trip to India was arranged. She wasn't sure how she was going to tell her

mother because she knew her mother would be fearful and object to the long trip

away from home. The mother came for a visit, and this devotee gently announced

to her that she was going to India for six weeks, and much to her shock, her

mother calmly said, " Ok. " This devotee got a little frightened, since this

wasn't her mother's normal reaction. So she said, " that's it, just OK. " And her

mother said, " Yes, I understand that you need to do this for your spiritual

growth. " This devotee was stunned. " Huh " , she said. And her mother replied,

" Don't ask me how I know that, but I do. " And she refused to say anything more.

It seemed that Sri Swamiji had touched her Himself in some way.

 

Her mother continued over the years to refuse to meet Sri Swamiji,and this

devotee never pressed the issue, but her mother always wanted to hear the

stories about Swamiji and never objected when this devotee began to have more

pictures of Sri Swamiji in her home as she would have in the early years. Her

mother even agreed to contribute some plants from her garden to DRC.

 

With this devotee's next trip to India, her mother volunteered to stay in her

home for the six weeks that this devotee was gone to care for her animals. At

the end of that trip, Sri Swamiji was coming to America and he had mentioned

when this devotee left India that he would see her in St. Louis. She had no

intention of going to St. Louis, but told her mother about what Sri Swamiji said

when she picked her up at the airport. For the next two days, her mother kept

asking what she was going to do about St. Louis? This devotee wasn't planning

on going, so she said " nothing. " But her mother kept nudging her, and even

suggested she call AAA to see if she could get a deal. Finally, at her mother's

insistence, this devotee called and found an amazingly cheap ticket, and her

mother said, " Buy it, I can stay a little bit longer with the animals... " This

devotee was shocked.... and off she went to St. Louis to be with Sri

Swamiji...Still, her mother continued to refuse to meet Him.

 

As the years continued, this devotee often caught her looking at Sri Swamiji's

picture as she sat in this devotee's living room. In the last two years before

her death in 2005, if this devotee talked to her mother about any problem, her

reply was always one of two things. " What does Sri Swamiji say? " or " Why don't

you wait until you see Sri Swamiji before you decide, He always gives you good

advice and seems to know what is right.... "

 

Her mother would never share with this devotee her feelings about Sri Swamiji,

but she never criticized Him and in the end, this devotee believes that just by

observation of the blessings He had brought to our family she began to

understand His goodness. His grace seemed to be with Her despite her

unwillingness to meet Him. This devotee believes He had met her mother heart to

heart.