Birthday 1986
November 23, 1986
Prasanthi Nilayam
Dear Family,
Yes, it’s true that I'm writing on Birthday day! I am waiting for evening Darshan.
All is going well, except already I have been warned about helping certain people (whom the ashram has thrown out, yet, who helped me before). It’s a touchy situation but one thing, I’ll sacrifice a lot, even friendship, to remain correct with ashram staff.
I’ve learned that I cannot please all of the people all of the time; I only learned this recently, when working in the hospital.
Yesterday was Convocation, the function was held in the Poornachandra. Swami looked beautiful in His shining white robe. He was smiling and blessing all with upraised hands.
The Convocation program was 2:30 PM to 5 PM. Then Sai left and returned about an hour later, in faded orange robe! Just to check on us. :-) At 7 PM He came to stay (after we had been treated to an Indian concert for awhile). There was a play on Adi Sankara. The play was long. Swami sat in the audience, on the gent’s side in a chair.
On the 21st there was a conference for village seva workers. Sai gave a discourse and was very strong saying, “You people who give these talks, don’t do any seva!” He refused to give awards to the people in charge. He said how little had been done - only 4,000 villages adopted when there were over 1,000 villages in each state. At the end He said that He only chastised us like this because he was a “True Guru” and cared for our progress.
This morning, the 23rd, we gathered in the Poornachandra hall. When it was full, the overflow of people were let into the Darshan grounds, and Sai gave Darshan to them there!
He came smiling and blessing. He sat in a huge blue throne on the stage, and accepted one by one, flowers by several VIP people. Then He gave a discourse.
On the 19th He had begun the great sari giveaway of 1986. However, this time only to doctors, teachers, staff, students, etc.; none to foreigners.
Crowds were much smaller compared to last year. All programs were in the Poornachandra hall except B-day night program, which was in Hill View Stadium. No swing this year on B-day! And He didn’t wear white. There was just a play in Telugu for the evening program.
Jai Sri Sai Ram!
Love,
Eileen
YOU ARE READING
Letters from India
SpiritualLetters I wrote to my family in USA, while staying in India from 1984-2005. **Please send me a message on Wattpad if you are mentioned in these letters and wish the part to be edited or removed.**
