there to buy. It was raining lightly. I felt this was symbolic of Grace. Otherwise, how could someone who had winced at the thought of boarding a bus because the fare was $2 just two years ago now buy a convertible that was nearly $70,000? Grace.
I wanted to spend that money for my mother. I loved her in a way I loved no one else. It was not possible to ever repay her for the sacrifices she had made for me, the countless nights she had stayed awake with me when I was suffering from asthma and the way she had always stood by my side. It was not part of her job description to support my sadhana or my interest in astrology, chess, books and other things, but she had. I wanted her to have the best time in Sydney.
I did up my flat, buying new furniture, bed linen and toiletries. I stocked the fridge and the kitchen with all kinds of food items and bought gleaming new pots and pans for her. Finally, I drove to the airport to pick them up in my new car.
As soon as I saw my mother, I touched her feet, hugged her tight, kissed her cheeks. I hugged Rajan too. I was thrilled to see them.
'You've lost a lot of weight,' she said. 'You must be working hard at the cost of your health.'
'You've already started worrying!' I exclaimed.
'Now that I'm here for three months, I'll feed you well.'
'Tell me, Ma, do you like my new car?' I pressed a button and the roof folded into the trunk. 'I bought it for you.'
'May God bless you with much more,' she said. 'And may you always—'
'What about me, Amit?' Rajan interjected jokingly. 'I think I'll have better use of this car than our mother here.'
Ma was rather quiet in the car while Rajan was excited and chatty. I talked about the socio-economic system in Australia, the clean roads, my studies, my company and everything else I could think of. For every one of my statements, Rajan had ten questions.
Later that night, I asked my mother what was on her mind. She said, 'I know you had told me about your successes here over the phone but, after seeing it all with my own eyes, I don't have enough words to thank God. I'm feeling so content.'
In response, I just put my head at her feet. 'It's all because of your blessings, Ma.'
Her eyes filled with tears.
My mother loved her time in Australia and spent three months with me. It was one of the most memorable periods of my life because, for the first time, I was hosting my mother. And because she showered the love, care and blessings that only a mother could. She fed me a hearty breakfast every day and I came home to a delicious dinner at night. When I drove to work in the mornings, she would give me a pouch of freshly peeled almonds so I could eat them on the way while driving. As I left the house, she would come out with me to say bye. This was the first time in Australia that someone cared enough to see me off and wait at home for me when I returned. In the past two years, I had almost forgotten that I was not a machine but a human being. Her little caring gestures made me feel human again.
In those days, I was putting in long hours at work. There were times I came home only to sleep, but my mother never complained. I was unable to show her around the city in the way that I had wanted because I was always pressed for time, but she never made me feel guilty. 'I'm just happy to see you happy,' she would say.
One day, while I was sitting with her and talking about life in Australia, I said, 'Don't get me wrong, Ma. I love it here. This country has offered me so much but, to tell you the truth, my heart is not here.'
'Why, Amit, what's the matter?'
I opened up to her and told her how I missed putting those hours into my meditation, how I wanted to further my sadhana but just didn't have the time. I understood the role of education and I wasn't discounting the importance of money, but this was certainly not going to be the totality of my life. My goal had always been, and still remained, God.
'I wish to lead a more spiritual life one
I wanted to spend that money for my mother. I loved her in a way I loved no one else. It was not possible to ever repay her for the sacrifices she had made for me, the countless nights she had stayed awake with me when I was suffering from asthma and the way she had always stood by my side. It was not part of her job description to support my sadhana or my interest in astrology, chess, books and other things, but she had. I wanted her to have the best time in Sydney.
I did up my flat, buying new furniture, bed linen and toiletries. I stocked the fridge and the kitchen with all kinds of food items and bought gleaming new pots and pans for her. Finally, I drove to the airport to pick them up in my new car.
As soon as I saw my mother, I touched her feet, hugged her tight, kissed her cheeks. I hugged Rajan too. I was thrilled to see them.
'You've lost a lot of weight,' she said. 'You must be working hard at the cost of your health.'
'You've already started worrying!' I exclaimed.
'Now that I'm here for three months, I'll feed you well.'
'Tell me, Ma, do you like my new car?' I pressed a button and the roof folded into the trunk. 'I bought it for you.'
'May God bless you with much more,' she said. 'And may you always—'
'What about me, Amit?' Rajan interjected jokingly. 'I think I'll have better use of this car than our mother here.'
Ma was rather quiet in the car while Rajan was excited and chatty. I talked about the socio-economic system in Australia, the clean roads, my studies, my company and everything else I could think of. For every one of my statements, Rajan had ten questions.
Later that night, I asked my mother what was on her mind. She said, 'I know you had told me about your successes here over the phone but, after seeing it all with my own eyes, I don't have enough words to thank God. I'm feeling so content.'
In response, I just put my head at her feet. 'It's all because of your blessings, Ma.'
Her eyes filled with tears.
My mother loved her time in Australia and spent three months with me. It was one of the most memorable periods of my life because, for the first time, I was hosting my mother. And because she showered the love, care and blessings that only a mother could. She fed me a hearty breakfast every day and I came home to a delicious dinner at night. When I drove to work in the mornings, she would give me a pouch of freshly peeled almonds so I could eat them on the way while driving. As I left the house, she would come out with me to say bye. This was the first time in Australia that someone cared enough to see me off and wait at home for me when I returned. In the past two years, I had almost forgotten that I was not a machine but a human being. Her little caring gestures made me feel human again.
In those days, I was putting in long hours at work. There were times I came home only to sleep, but my mother never complained. I was unable to show her around the city in the way that I had wanted because I was always pressed for time, but she never made me feel guilty. 'I'm just happy to see you happy,' she would say.
One day, while I was sitting with her and talking about life in Australia, I said, 'Don't get me wrong, Ma. I love it here. This country has offered me so much but, to tell you the truth, my heart is not here.'
'Why, Amit, what's the matter?'
I opened up to her and told her how I missed putting those hours into my meditation, how I wanted to further my sadhana but just didn't have the time. I understood the role of education and I wasn't discounting the importance of money, but this was certainly not going to be the totality of my life. My goal had always been, and still remained, God.
'I wish to lead a more spiritual life one
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