A few years after meeting Gurudev, I heard that he was transiting through Delhi. A strong urge to meet him surfaced each time he was in town and gripped me with characteristic immoderation.
A group of fellow 10th graders were going to the airport to seek Gurudev’s blessings on the eve of the board exams, and my friend asked me to join them. My desire to meet him, overcame the nervousness for the impending exams yet left me with no yearning to ask for blessing for good grades.
My thoughts were that seeking blessings for exams were rather inconsequential to the fact that I was just going to be in HIS presence.
So here I was with an excited bunch of teenagers, all clamouring for Gurudev’s attention, quite different from my earlier customary interactions with him, which had been just silent exchanges, with no need for words to communicate.
True to form, our gang of fifteen-year olds was a boisterous lot at the airport, all simultaneously talking and vying for Gurudev’s attention. Amidst the frenzy, Gurudev took out a wooden pencil in his hand, seemingly leaning forward to give one of us this prized gift. His question 'Who wants this pencil'? was met with rapturous excitement from the group, all moving towards Gurudev .
I on the other hand, was a silent bystander with my eyes transfixed on Gurudev, kind of oblivious of this unfolding drama.
All of a sudden, I saw Gurudev looking straight into my eyes, as he leaned forward and held his hand forward with the pencil in it towards me. As our eyes locked together, my hand spontaneously opened up, and Gurudev placed the pencil in it.
I have never experienced a more surreal moment. From not wanting any special blessings for the exams to receiving the most coveted gift from the Master, I had momentarily blanked out and could not process what had happened.
Gurudev gave me his all-knowing smile and taught me the greatest lesson that day. For one who is content, all the desires are fulfilled even before they arise. Needless to say, I aced my 10th grade board exams and also every school exam thereafter.
I also graduated with distinction in both, my bachelor's and master's programme and received the highest academic honours of the respective universities I attended.
As a metaphorical reminder of the ultimate writer of my destiny, the wooden pencil continues to bring me success in every aspect of life.
For the master's love and his ever-flowing grace that the pencil embodies, I am eternally grateful.
- Ruchi Khemka