Symbols of the world's religions

               

HELPLESSLY WATCH HIM SUFFER

Mani S. Irani

 
I am sure you didn't need any ear trumpet for all the little messages Mehera and I sent you in response to your dear letters bringing His Love to warm our hearts and those delightful bits that bring laughter.

I can quite picture the pet's bewilderment when you had to shout to poor Otto. That's how Peter (our cocker spaniel) is whenever we are on silence — he can't understand it, so he begs (to be forgiven) and all day is so extremely obedient it's pathetically funny. Dr. Kenmore is another one like you, always amusing Baba — I'm sure Baba will miss his jokes and stories, though I think by the end of the month he had exhausted them all — or nearly so.

It was difficult to remember his visual handicap, and his skill is all the more amazing because of it. He really needed to attend to Baba for a few months more, but Baba said no, because that would mean losing the N.Y. practice entirely. As it is, it will be difficult to make up for the one month absence. He came of his own expense in his longing to offer to his Master his hard-earned experience of long years as a chiropractor.

I loved watching Baba's expression whenever Dr. Kenmore was near Him, full of the tender love of a mother for her child. Baba said some day he would give him true sight — a glimpse of Himself which would make him realize it was the only thing worth seeing, and that what others saw with their physical eyes was of no value.

I must tell you one of his delightful remarks to Baba. One day when he felt a rip in Baba’s sadra he said, "I don't wonder Baba — there are so many hanging on to your daaman there's bound to be some wear and tear." Well, Baba just has to have His sadra made of stronger material, for everyone will hang on.

Baba continues the exercises Dr. Kenmore has started — one of them is 'bicycling' — a sort of bicycle is fixed up in a corner of the room and Baba pedals on it. This naturally gives much pain, not because the muscles are toning up after long disuse but because Dr. Kenmore fears there's very little of the natural fluid one has in the joint, and therefore instead of moving smoothly it grates.

We can only helplessly watch Him suffer, it is so difficult to judge Baba's health and pain for He is no ordinary patient and it is all connected with His work. There are times when Baba looks so utterly tired, with a deep sadness in His eyes — and we know it is not for His own suffering but for His children's.

 

LETTERS FROM THE MANDALI, vol 1, pp. 22-23, ed Jim Mistry
1981 Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust

               

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