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The experience oh Mahesh Ghayal
The ways of Lord are many. We can
never hope to predict them or understand them, but only to get
immersed in them and in this process to become His instruments.
Here is the personal experience of Sri. Mahesh Ghayal, Atlantic
City Center, New Jersey.
In Atlantic city, there is a woman by the name of Jean Webster.
Everyone calls her “Sister Jean”. She lives in a run-down old
house and works in a casino for her living. In her spare time she
cooks for and feeds the needy, about 100-200 people at a time
until everyone is fed. One of our center’s seva(service)
activities is to collect or buy food and bring it to Sister Jean
on a regular basis. We have also given Sister Jean old clothes to
distribute to “her people” as she calls them.
In February, our center hosted a Bal Vikas Teacher Training
Seminar. Members from the Northvale Center in New Jersey braved
ten inches of snow and attended it. It so happened that the Center
had some winter clothes to give to Sister Jean.
The next day on my way to work, again it seemed to just so happen
that a thought entered my head: It would be a good day to give the
clothes so Sister Jean. As this was coldest day of the day of the
year with the temperature near zero, I thought someone could use
these clothes. So I turned my car around, went back home, picked
up the clothes and drove directly to Sister Jean’s house. She was
just returning home from work and I saw two men helping her.
As I got out of the car and walked over to them, I heard one of
the men say to Sister Jean, “Do you have any clothes for us today?”
Sister Jean replied, “No.” I immediately interrupted, saying “I’ve
brought some clothes!” Their faces lit up with beaming smiles.
They helped me unload the car saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank
you… thank you”. When I left, no amount of cold weather could
touch the warmth I felt in my heart!
Now, did these things “just so happen” or are they a scene from a
Divine play? Are these events just coincidental, or written and
directed by a great playwright? I have no doubt in my mind about
the answers. To me, even this simple act of seva reinforces what
Swami says that we are just actors on this stage of life and we
have to play our role to the best of out ability. Swami knew who
needed these clothes and worked out this sequence of events to
answer someone’s prayer. Individually, each of the acts was
insignificant, but who else could orchestrate these events,
culminating in the much-needed clothes getting to the right time
and at the right place.
Sai Baba is the “inner motivator” for us all. Swami knows who
needs what, when, and where; He also determines how this need will
be met. Can we allow our egos to proclaim, “I” did this or “I” did
that? He conceives, He plans and He directs the grand scheme of
things. It is through His infinite Grace that we are included in
the cast of this play and become immersed in His glory. We are so
fortunate to have the opportunity; to be His instruments and to be
actors in His play. The gratification from being His instrument
can be instant and blissful. We have the choice of being in the
audience watching from a distance, or being of being in the
audience watching from a distance, or being in His play on the
stage and getting involved in His glory.
Seva activities do not have to be big or elaborate or even planned
out ahead of time. All we need is to be prepared to be “hollow”
like Krishna’s flute. There is no time through us. With a pure
heart, dedicate the results to Swami. HE knows how to help us by
writing and rewriting the script, should we need it. Like the
advertisement says, “Just Do it!”.
Source:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saisruthi/message/90 |