An experience of Stephanie Cappitelli

[Guest guest]

An experience of Stephanie Cappitelli This is the personal experience

of Sri Stephanie Cappitelli shared at SSB center of Manhattan.

 

During a visit to Prashanti Nilayam, I was sharing a room in one of

the round buildings. While I had not known my roommate before this

trip,we found ourselves so compatible that we went to darshan and ate

our meals together. But on one occasion, my roommate wanted to leave

early to meet a former friend before darshan. So I stayed in the

room. When I was ready to leave, imagine my chagrin when I discovered

my roommate had inadvertently locked me in! Now I was in a real

predicament. No one else was around. I was alone, locked in my room,

and very upset. I would be missing darshan, trapped, perhaps for

hours, as my roommate would not be back for two hours of darshan, the

hour or so for dinner, and another hour or two for shopping in

Puttaparthi. I panicked and began crying, bemoaning my fate. It was

in this terrible state of mind, feeling like a victim, that I noticed

a small hole in the window screen. An insect,like a wasp or a bee had

come into the room, adding another worry -- that of a bee sting. I

prayed to Swami trying to accept His will. I also prayed for help to

get out of the room.

 

After a while I claimed down and become fascinated by the bee. It was

obviously distressed at being trapped inside the room and seemed

desperate to get out. It kept banging against the screen in its

attempt to do this. Each time it failed, it flew back into the room

and tried again. It did this over and over again. Finally, after many

attempts, it found the hole it had come in through and flew out of

the window.

 

Watching this, I realized that nothing happens in Prashanti Nilayam

without reason. Every thing is a message from Swami. What was the

message of the bee? Surrendering is not feeling like a victim.

Surrendering is accepting your circumstances and doing the best you

can, leaving the results to Swami. So I began to do something for

myself and not just wait for a miracle. I cried out, shouting for

someone to come and help me. Soon a man sweeping the hall heard me

and came over and opened the latch.

 

I made afternoon darshan on the time. And I learned " to bee " an active

participant in surrendering. I had taken the first step towards Him.

 

Source: saisruthi/message/87

 

Ram Chugani

Kobe, Japan