Sairam friends,
I am playing hide and seek with my Sister’s Daughter. Its real. I have to play hide and seek inside home since that makes Kats excited and happy. I am supposed to count 1 to 20 and Kats would hide somewhere in her house. I keep calling her name and if I can’t find her, she jumps with so much joy that can’t match even if I give her million dollars. I came all the way from India for this. To make her feel really happy.
And there are other games too. Sitting on my back and making me crawl on the floor saying I am her Elephant. And another one where I am supposed to catch her before she jumps over to her bed. And the last one is still more funny. I am supposed to lay down on the floor and she would jump over me to the cart.
She reads a lot of books, She’s exceptional in her studies but she’s still a kid and wants all these little games. I certainly can’t tell her that I am too old for such games because sometimes, I wonder what she would be doing after we leave America? Well, She’s smart and knows how to manage. She keeps her occupied doing painting, playing piano, studying or reading books. But only when I am here for another one month, I can share all this fun with her.
Today, She told me that her Mom doesn’t have so much fun with her. I told her its because her mom is busy with her work and is responsible. I understood that most kids expect their parents to play around with them which isn’t possible if they are busy with their work.
I am also able to understand the kind of hard work my Sister and Brother in law does. I see their responsibilities and how they are managing.
I also have some other conversation with kats.
Yesturday, I was teaching her Photography with my DSLR Camera. Her palm is too little to hold the camera but I felt this is the right age to learn the art of photography. She’s able to grasp what I taught her quickly.
She realized that I am good at photography and told me
“You must be in here ( in America)
and she added
“You don’t have to take care of your parents”
That made me laugh uncontrollably because my Sister seems to have told Kats that I would never like settling in the U.S as I wish to take care of my parents in India where their life is centered.
When Kats asks me to play Hide and Seek with her and when I count 1 to 2o, I am trying to relate it to life.
I believe most of us assume that hide and seek was a game we played we played when we were kids. Not really. Its a game we have been playing all life.
All of us are seeking something in life. What we seek keeps hiding from us. Eventually, we either find what we search for or we miss.
It could be your studies, relationship, career or all other aspects. Hide and seek is a game we have been playing between the forces of fate and karma. Guru comes in this game as the light. A divine light which helps us find what really is good for us.
You might desire your girl friend/boy friend and run in search of them or trying to marry them. A guru might make you realize if the relationship is really worthy or not. Even if you believe if its worthy, when the force of fate doesn’t let you marry your love, a guru again acts as a light to move ahead with your life.
The same applies to your career too. You might be in search of a job you really love. When your search disappoints you, a Guru acts as a guide and shows you what best works for you.
So there’s no point in assuming that we are too old to play hide and seek. That’s what we have been doing with our real life.
All that you desire is hiding from you and you keep searching for it. Only Sai knows if you would eventually win?
I am thankful to Saibaba for being there for me. None would understand what Sai is capable of. Today, Sai did a leela which I would cherish for lifetime. I better keep it to myself since its hard to explain.
This evening, I went to park in Sioux falls and read a page in Sai Satcharita. Yesturday, I went for a very long early morning walk and made the below video.
I walked around 4-5 Kms from my Sister’s home in Sioux falls until I reached the muddy road. Though I tell my Sister that I am fine walking so long, I get scared as none would be around in these areas. he he…While walking back home, I saw 5-6 Ducks crossing the road and going back to their pond. The featured photo was taking in Old Court House Museum built in 1890. I admired the kids statue so much. I did some good photography there.
Anyway, So what am I searching for in life? When am I going to find what I search for? I purposely loose the game when I play with kats as she loves to win and jumps in excitement. Probably, in my life too, I might continue to loose. As long as Sai is there, I must be satisfied with that. Eventually, I would win.
The same happens to you too.
Never regret the games you lost in your life.
There’s more to come. You might eventually win.
Sai is always there for you.
Om Sai Ram
Venkat
You write really good.
Om sai ram.