Introduction

Sai Ram, Sai Devotees:

My name is Susan Caffery and I am here in the USA staying temporarily with my sister in Florida. I am 75 and have lived in India for 33 years, the last 20 without leaving. About a month ago, the Foreigners Registration Officer said out of the blue, “we are not extending five year visas and you have to leave the country”.

Actually, I’ve done a pretty good job by not flipping out but only because Swami has kept me cupped in His hands the whole time. Last night I had a dream that I was waiting at a bus stand, in the pitch dark. I feel that to me this may be true because the Absolute Truth is the Light and here in the west not so many people realize that God is love and love is all there is, so it seems darker here. Our swami is omnipresent of course, and brings His light to one and all, east and west.

Anyway I’ve been thru a horrendous experience but I received so many great emails from devotees that I thought…why not pass them along because other foreigners may have to go through this same thing now with the visa situation up in the air. We must hang on and stay as close to Him as possible.

So this Blog will be for ‘coming and going’ people or those who may have to come and go from our ashram. Hopefully, there will be practical advice about visas and passports and flying here and there as well as the precious spiritual advice I have received from so many supportive devotees. Maybe we’ll start a chat place too and maybe we can include a section on what I call, ‘Graduates’

Let me explain. When I was home last, 20 years ago, I said things which were so hurtful that my family has been wary of a return visit. The other day in the kitchen my 85 year old sister expressed this apprehension and like spontaneously I said with a smile. “Yes but now I am a graduate.”

At the ashram we spend our time studying His teachings and praying for transformation. I have been doing this for 33 years and I really feel that some things have changed inside me and so I called myself, a Graduate. Much of the Sai Org stuff spins around His college students, I know, but some of us older devotees have learned valuable lessons also, hence the term Graduate. We certainly aren’t enlightened, although He says we all are actually enlightened but for now many of us can call ourselves Graduates as we have been living His teachings and have experienced our own changes.

Twenty years ago I wanted to get back to the Lord, hell or high water. I’ve grown since then and was able to look my sister in the eye and say, “yes but now I am a Graduate” I’m not clear about the exact meaning but I think it is an inner recognition of change for the better. Only we can confer the Graduate status upon ourselves. Maybe it should be only an inner affirmation because the only catch is that when we declare ourselves to be Graduates, we have to live that way all the time or we’ll get that look and hear, “ah huh, sure.”

So now you know what I hope to do with this Blog. I have tried to set the tone as being…I hope not too casual but with lots of my lovely heartfelt devotion to the Lord throw in. I have a fantastically wonderful programmer in Chennai who takes care of my children’s website saiwonderland.net and wonder of wonders, he is willing to do this Blog. Actually he is Swami, as we all are. I’m really writing this for myself as swami says we always do seva for ourselves. First because there isn’t anyone else but Swami, who we all are and second because, none of us have yet to put selfishness behind us completely… yet.

And because I lived at our ashram for so long I will include prayers and songs….in English and perhaps I will also include one of my stories for children.

I just hope that I can help some of the new coming and going devotees to handle it and not be so afraid. Of course we know that He has us in His arms but what surprised me was all the love, support and suggestions I received from everyone. These I will pass along with anything else which seems pertinent. My email is saisusanc@yahoo.co and I would appreciate your help.