new year eve was quite an eventful one. whole day i was busy. 14 baby feedings, 2 padapujas … i was on my feet to click-click-click. in between amma said ‘no photos’ to me. so some one else was taking photos of the function.
there were few stage performances and then amma’s bhajans followed by new year message. amma was talking about need to dream and put forth efforts to realise it.
celebrations were over past 2.30 a.m. all went to their bed, except some.
major chunk of the work for the day was about to begin for me. there were hundreds of pictures i had to sort, select, modify, write caption and then put them on the web pages of ashram website. when devotees all over the world turn on their pc in the morning they should see amma’s new year clebration photos. there are many devotees who turn on their pc to see the updates of amritapuri.org even before they brush their teeth. i know some of them personally. what a beautiful way to begin the day!
i had my own dream to realise. i started my work. i finished the updates around 5 30 a.m. closed my computer, walked towards amrita setu to feel the ashram grounds and nature of the new year. it was fresh and cold. archana was not yet began. amma said to do it at 6. a.m.
i climbed 3 floors, went to my room and then to bed.
i dont know when. some time later the phone in my room starts ringing.
my room-mate shubhji picked up the call. thanks. its for him. he has lots of acquaintances all around the world.
but i am listening to the conversation. ‘ happy new year’ happy new year swamiji’.
i slipped into sleep again. but the phone kept ringing. most of the calls were for shubji.
the voice on the other end said “happy new year swami”. i even replied in my sleep ‘happy new year’ ‘same to you’
who was that?
i dont remember. sorry.
who says it is always pleasant to hear “happy new year” on the new year day?
atleast it was not for me on this new year.
i told myself “what happy new year?” what is happiness? i smiled at my self. dived deep into my soul once again…. to be happy.
what you think to be happiness for some one may not be happiness for him at all!
thanks to my friends who all wrote emails with “happy new year’ wishes.
1 Jan 2007