I AM LISTENING

 
When someone was reading aloud, Baba was very particular that everyone listen intently to the story. He wanted everyone's attention on a single focal point, and He always knew if someone's concentration had drifted. Baba would snap His fingers and say, "Listen to the story. Don't let your thoughts wander."

Sometimes Baba would lie down on His bed while Mani read a story to Him. He would appear to have fallen asleep, and we would sometimes even hear Him snoring. As soon as Mani stopped reading, however, Baba would say, "Why have you stopped? I am listening. Go on."

Other times we felt that Baba's attention was far away, that there was something else in His mind. Looking at His eyes, we would feel that He wasn't "there" with us, that He was elsewhere. Even then, if Mani stopped reading, Baba would say, "Go on. I am listening."