http://www.blissful-wisdom.com/a-swami-offers-help.html

While hauling water from a well in India some unexpected assistance arrives:

A few hundred travellers were finishing lunch one day off the side of the main road on a welcoming farmer's field during one of Amma's North India tours (Mata Amritananda Mayi makes regular festival tours about India and the globe).  Someone asked me if I would help him fetch some well water to take back to one of the buses. I said I would. When I saw the huge 10 gallon ( 40 - liter) container that we were to fill and carry to the bus, I chuckled to myself. I knew this was going to be an experience!

After getting permission from the local farm owner, we filled the large container with well water. When I looked down the farm road to where the ashram bus was parked, I realized that it was almost a kilometer away! The container of water was amazingly heavy. I had to laugh about it all. 

I was feeling jovial and boisterous when, along the way, I saw Swami Ramakrishnananda (a long-time assistant with Amma's service projects) and I jokingly called out to him, "Swami, please swami, can you give us one miracle?" I must have been out of my mind when I made the request!

The Swami turned around and looked surprised to see a Westerner carrying a container of water asking for a miracle. He politely asked me what I meant.  I said, " Swami, can you transport this water to the bus way down the road?"  I was being a jokester, trying to have fun with it all.

This unpretentious Swami immediately offered to carry my side of the water container. He offered so sincerely and without complaint that I was surprised. I realized how humble and compassionate this particular Swami was.  I realized my playfulness was a little too much, so I quickly replied, "No, Swami, it's okay. I'm sorry.  I was being foolish!"  The Swami just smiled.

As we started to walk away with the water container, a farmer came by on his tractor, pulling an empty trailer. I signalled jovially to the driver that we wanted his help to transport the water container down the road. The farmer indicated that it was 'no problem', and we dashed onto the back of the trailer with the water container.

As the farm tractor pulled away, the Swami called out with a big smile, "Hey there!  There's your miracle!"

These days I like to remember that when work is done with an easy, welcoming attitude, unexpected assistance is often just around the corner.

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    Author

    Bill Woollam has gratefully spent time with a number of living Masters, only to realize his own selfishness has brought on much misery in the past.   
    Presently, his sincere 
    commitment to family and career are offering a new-found joy.

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