The World's Best Father

Guru had come to Miami (in May 1998) and we wanted to give something to him. I didn't know what to give, so I got Guru a hat that said "The World's Best Father."

The next day at the airport, I had the chance to give him the hat. Guru sent a message through a disciple to say, "Tell Mahatapa that I will wear this hat on Father's Day."

On Father's Day I was looking for when Guru would wear the hat. All day Guru was looking beautiful in a golden yellow dhoti and kurta. I was trying to console myself by saying the hat would not have looked good with the Indian kurta.

At the end of the Father's Day function, Guru sometimes would have visitors from outside New York come to his house. Lunthita and I and some of the others who had come were invited.

Guru was still not wearing the hat. I was a little disappointed but I was still trying to console myself: “Oh, Guru must have forgotten. It was just a hat.”

At the end of the function in the evening when we were taking prasad, Guru said something to Shephali. She brought the hat to him. Guru put it on and had Maral take a picture with me and Lunthita standing behind him.

For me these small incidents have great significance. In this story Guru got the message through: When Guru makes a promise, it will be for Eternity. The promise he has made to us as his disciples, we have to believe that promise, that he will be with us for Eternity.

The Guru brings together  
Man’s hope  
And  
God’s Promise.

Sri Chinmoy 1

• 1. Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, part 24, Agni Press, 2002