Anni’s Diary

September 26, 2007 Kamala Amma's Grace, Anni's Diary

Dearest Friends and Family,

            Tomorrow is the celebration of Amma’s official birthday here in Amritapuri.  The celebrations have started fully today, and there are tens of thousands of people in the ashram.  I haven’t gone down yet today…the crowds are thick…every time I look over at the bridge that we made after the Tsunami, to connect the island with the mainland, there is a thick human stream, like a river flowing in both directions, coming and going over it.  This year, I feel the greatest service I can do, is to stay out of the way.  We don’t have much heart for a party.

            We are very slow at going over Anni’s works.  We went though all her school notebooks a week or so ago…looking for her doodles, or any signs of self expression.  It is unfortunate that the schooling system here, even on the university level, really discourages self expression and genuine analysis.  I found comments from teachers on her exams chiding her for expressing her own opinions…if only they could realize how their own stilted thinking prevents India’s progress…. We are keeping aside all of her doodles.

            What amazes me is how many little sayings captured her attention.  She always wrote down little bits of wisdom that she found.  And rewrote them in later journals.  She was unconcerned about their source,  only in the way they struck her heart.  What amazes me also, is how they are mostly all about love.  I am ever in awe of her pure, sweet heart.

Here are 9 of her inspirational quips:

1. “When the power of love overcomes the love of power…then the world will know peace.”
2. He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, while he who has an enemy shall meet him everywhere.
3. The best way to cheer yourself up, is to cheer somebody else up.
4. The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn.
5. Reality is wrong.  Dreams are for real.
6. The only abnormality is the incapacity to love.
7. A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.
8. God is that which the blind can see, to whom the lame can walk, to whom the dumb can speak…
9. God is there in everyone’s eyes, they only don’t know it.  We should be able to see God there, in their eyes, even when they don’t know it, for She is ever-present.  Have faith in that.”

 

Wishing you love and peace,

Kamala Aunty, Anni and Link