Below is a Wonderful Article Titled "A Thought to Share " written by one of Swami's Students..This Wonderful Article was written by the Dear Sai Brother a few days after Bhagawan's Physical body had passed away :
Over the past few weeks, I – like you, have been trying to grapple with all that is being hurled at me by a cynical media. I have felt hurt, angry and hopeless at times, as the swami that I have experienced is not what is being portrayed by a world that seems judgemental, driven by scepticism, tinted vision or misrepresentation of facts. If Swami has orchestrated all that has happened for a reason - and this may be a more positive way to start this discussion, - I ask myself what I can learn from this phase, and how I can come out stronger in personal conviction and we, in collective faith. Both these qualities are imperative if we wish to give ourselves completely to his work and further his message through our lives. So, what are the lessons this phase is trying to teach us? I’ve tried asking a number of friends, both within the organization and those working elsewhere and this is what I hear – 1) An opportunity to balance head with heart – Turning a blind eye to media isn’t the best of things to do. Balance what you hear (information) with what you know and feel (conviction). Let personal experience drive you rather than public sentiment. Trust your belief. 2) An opportunity to showcase his message – The world comes from an understandable space of harsh judgement, given media influence. Let’s not fight fire with fire. This is an opportunity to remain loving and non-judgemental. 3) An opportunity to re-connect with him –I haven’t thought so much (and so intensely) about what I can do for swami for a long, long time. Does this echo what you feel too? Sometimes pain can drive the most lasting commitments. 4) An opportunity to stop “talking swami” and start “living swami” – What is that single thing you’d love to change in yourself to become a clearer reflection of him? Go ahead and pull out your diary and commit to that selected quality. Let him be your quiet inspiration to evolve as a better human being. 5) An opportunity to “huddle together” and collectively dedicate ourselves to his work – Public memory is short. A year from now, when all swami’s projects continue to grow and flourish, our ‘courage under fire’ and maturity will show. The other day, a senior scientist from GE was at Swami's Hospital on a short visit. She did not “believe” in Swami and said she was not religious in any sense of the word. During the course of her visit, she interacted with some of our staff and spent some time with the patients. The interaction deeply touched her. As she left, she made a passing comment of all that she had read and heard on the media recently. What remained with me was her last statement. “I feel deep peace and harmony here. You don’t need to believe in Baba to believe in his work.” We are lucky to live in the shadows of a person who has been an unparalleled humanist. He has made contributions that no individual ( or government, for that matter) has been able to over a mere lifetime. 2 world class hospitals offering free heart surgery worth millions to the poorest of the poor, a world class university recently awarded highest honours by the national academic accreditation board for value based education, 2000kms of pipeline as part of his water project to quench the thirst of over 1000 villages in Andhra Pradesh, institutes of academic and cultural excellence, millions of rupees spent each year to keep all this running. And not a bank account or piece of property to his name. Now, the more important question – How do we convert our current pain/hurt/hopelessness into something beautiful for him? Let me draw from the experience of our guest from GE. We see over 500 individuals at the hospital each day - patients, attendants, fellow staff, health professionals and guests. Each moment we have an opportunity to touch their lives in a way that cannot be forgotten. My brothers and sisters who are working in other domains have a similar opportunity. Can we, in our love for him, challenge ourselves to reflect him in our work? Can we turn each potential annoyance into an opportunity to show people how swami shines through us? Can we truly reflect the pure love and compassion that he is? Recently, a mother who had her son Bharat Lal operated here left the institute with tears of joy. "The doctors and nurses were like my brothers and sisters, not distant professionals," she said. We are reflections of what we believe in. Each day is an opportunity to live his message. Let’s take a single quality he was known for – Love. Can we pledge to share the love he has stood for in a language people can understand and would be deeply impacted by? Ask yourself - 1) As a person who interacts with patients and co-workers, can I smile more and talk softly and sweetly? 2) As a doctor or nurse, can I treat patients with greater understanding and empathy? 3) As support or administrative staff, can I be more sensitive to the needs of fellow employees through openness, trust and communication? 4) As a sevadal, can I discharge my duties with sincerity and compassion? 5) As a student, can I give my best to the gift of education that he gives to me each day? 6) As an employee, can I be seen as cheerful and positive? Over the past few weeks, we have all – at some level or the other – felt a stronger commitment to the noble work that he has gifted us with. As part of this commitment, we have also felt the need to showcase the truth to people who are easily swayed by information portrayed by the media. Well, what are we waiting for? Here’s our chance to live it. Sai Ram -- --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "saimsg" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
