Thanks as usual for your honest musings, again, reflecting what others are thinking but dare not say to one and all.
Every day a friend and I chat on Yahoo Messenger and it is usually only about Parthi and the situation there. We wonder how are the people doing there, how will their lives change? We think of Eswara and her poor family. I keep trying to call her but she is never at home. I called while Swami was sick and could only talk to Keshu who cried and cried on the phone, saying they honestly didn’t know what was happening and told me some people said Swami was already gone and some said he was still around (that was a couple of weeks before the end). I tried to call last week but got a recording that the network was busy. The only time I can call is in the morning on weekends and it is hard to remember!
Anyway, we also wonder about the foreigner residents there and if they will remain there, especially people like Persa, Anna Marie, Jean Hudson, Verana and anyone else we know who has been there a long time. And we agree that if we were still there, it would be hard to remain without Swami. Without the physical form darshan to run to, one really needs some sort of project or motivation to carry on day after day, to feel occupied and fulfilled. The only one I’m in touch with there is C, who had to leave due to visa reasons a couple of weeks before Swami went in the hospital, but says she plans to return again in May. She has been translating Radio Sai talks so that keeps her occupied still, I wonder if she will really keep staying on for six months at a time, especially with the irritating new visa rules (she was permanent there for the last 8 years or so).
I wonder how the dreaded office will adjust? Will the office still give foreigners 1-2 months of stay in Prasanthi or will the rules become stricter? Or, will they become more lenient and let people stay for longer times? Yet, who will really want to stay long term now? Yes, many businesses will have to close down and I also think of Karuna Society where I worked and wonder if they will get enough donations to keep running as usual (they were always short on money anyway!), I hope all the animals and employees there will be OK. There was also an article in the paper about how it was difficult to find doctors to come and stay at the hospital before and they are worried it will be harder still in the future.
Anyway, if you hear anything about the situation in Parthi now, I would love to hear about it. I guess we still feel we are Ashramites!
Take care of yourself, hope your health is better now.
Love,
Every day a friend and I chat on Yahoo Messenger and it is usually only about Parthi and the situation there. We wonder how are the people doing there, how will their lives change? We think of Eswara and her poor family. I keep trying to call her but she is never at home. I called while Swami was sick and could only talk to Keshu who cried and cried on the phone, saying they honestly didn’t know what was happening and told me some people said Swami was already gone and some said he was still around (that was a couple of weeks before the end). I tried to call last week but got a recording that the network was busy. The only time I can call is in the morning on weekends and it is hard to remember!
Anyway, we also wonder about the foreigner residents there and if they will remain there, especially people like Persa, Anna Marie, Jean Hudson, Verana and anyone else we know who has been there a long time. And we agree that if we were still there, it would be hard to remain without Swami. Without the physical form darshan to run to, one really needs some sort of project or motivation to carry on day after day, to feel occupied and fulfilled. The only one I’m in touch with there is C, who had to leave due to visa reasons a couple of weeks before Swami went in the hospital, but says she plans to return again in May. She has been translating Radio Sai talks so that keeps her occupied still, I wonder if she will really keep staying on for six months at a time, especially with the irritating new visa rules (she was permanent there for the last 8 years or so).
I wonder how the dreaded office will adjust? Will the office still give foreigners 1-2 months of stay in Prasanthi or will the rules become stricter? Or, will they become more lenient and let people stay for longer times? Yet, who will really want to stay long term now? Yes, many businesses will have to close down and I also think of Karuna Society where I worked and wonder if they will get enough donations to keep running as usual (they were always short on money anyway!), I hope all the animals and employees there will be OK. There was also an article in the paper about how it was difficult to find doctors to come and stay at the hospital before and they are worried it will be harder still in the future.
Anyway, if you hear anything about the situation in Parthi now, I would love to hear about it. I guess we still feel we are Ashramites!
Take care of yourself, hope your health is better now.
Love,
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