A Sannyasi Gift
Posted on January 27, 2005 in personal.
In general, I never look at the clock when I give talks. It's a simple practice to stay in the present, and give it my all. So last night, after I spoke to a group of IIT alumni, I ended up being 20 minutes late to my next "meeting".
I had to meet a friend, who had repeatedly invited me for a visit for the last many months. He calls me and gives me directions; I said, "Sounds great. I'll see you soon, Uncle." Instead of hanging up, he says: "Ok, I will wait for you outside, so you find it." "In this cold weather? No need, Uncle. I'll find it. I've been there before." And we hung up.
It was raining, and it was chilly, so I turned on the heater in the car. Fifteen minutes later, I arrive. Through the misty fog, the light drizzle, the dimly lit street lights, I see a potrait of an old man standing with a broken umbrella on his head.
I was speechless, almost thoughtless.
With his wife and 28-year-old son, we shared a few heartfelt stories over hotly-cooked dinner. At the end of the hour, all four of us walked to a closet-converted-to-temple and stood still in silence. Then, he offered me a "sannyasi gift" -- a shawl to cover me when I'm meditating during my India trip.