AN INTERVIEW - SHE MEANS THE WORLD TO US. FOR US, SHE IS EVERYTHING

[Guest guest]

OM AMRITESWARYAI NAMAH

 

She means the world to us. For us, She is everything.

 

An Interview with Amma's Kids in Chennai

 

It was really difficult to get them to stay still for more than five

minutes. Whoever nicknamed the chemical mercury "quicksilver"

obviously got it wrong—I think it refers to kids! Speaking to them

during Amma's visit to Chennai in January 2004, I asked them why do

they enjoy being with Amma?

 

"She plays with us and always gives us something to eat—especially

sweets," chortles Amrit, a seven-year-old bundle of energy. "We sit

with Her during bhajans and afterwards we go to Her room where She

plays with us." What kind of games does Amma play, I queried? "Oh,

She keeps cracking jokes—sometimes about one of us, and then all of

us have a good laugh."

 

The bunch reminisced about Amma's visit the previous year when She

called all the kids into Her room on the last day and distributed

peanuts. According to Sriju & Akhil, both in their early teens, they

liked to sit near Amma because it made them feel peaceful. "You

forget everything else—it's like there are no issues, no problems.

For that time you only feel happy, at peace. There are no worries or

thoughts in your mind," says Sriju.

 

Does Amma treat anyone differently? An emphatic `NO' issues from all

of them! Amma shows the same amount of love and kindness to

everyone, they say. "We have even seen Amma crying after listening

to one Aunty's problem," pipes in Amrit. "But I think Amma likes

Chennai kids more than kids from other cities," said Ammu.

 

Why was that, I ask? "This ashram was started many years ago and we

all have been coming to see Amma for so many years. Last time when

we were playing with Amma in the room, She told Swamiji, `Let's not

go from here. I don't feel like leaving the kids. Swamiji

said, `Whatever You say, Amma.' Amma was quiet for a few moments and

then She said that the children in the next town to be visited would

feel bad if She didn't go. So though She feels bad, they would have

to leave Chennai."

 

Has Amma ever scolded them? "No! But I wish She would scold me,"

says Ammu. "I've seen Amma kiss someone after scolding them. That

way I will get a kiss too."

 

Was Amma a close friend or confidante? Ammu says, "When I was

younger, like five to six years old, I used to ask Amma for childish

things. If I lost my diary, I'd pray to Her to find it for me. Or if

I have a fight in school, I'd come home and tell Her about it [to

Her photo, that is]. Nowadays, I can't seem to talk to Her about

such trivial things. I only address more serious problems to Her.

Sometimes when I need answers, I write options on chits of paper and

select one after praying to Her. I know She will take care." The

others add, "She is also like a friend because we tell Her

everything—we may not even say those things to our own parents, but

She is mostly like a Mother to us." The kids were unanimous on that

one!

 

What was their unique bond with Amma? "She is more like a Mother to

us—even more than our own mothers," say Sriju and Akhil. "She solves

our problems and guides us in every possible way." That sounded

suspiciously adult, I thought! What problems could 13-year-old kids

have, I asked Sriju? "Once I wrote a test very badly and I knew I

had not done well. I was afraid I'd fail. So I went to my room and

prayed hard in front of Amma's photo. Though I had tried very hard,

I could not perform well. I didn't know what else I could do. After

praying to Amma, I felt better and sure enough, I managed to pass

the test."

 

Sriju's experience is that Amma can and does solve all his problems.

But She does only what is good for him and not what he wants. How

was Amma different from his own parents—didn't they also do only

what was good for him? Quick came the reply: "They try, but they

can't solve all problems. Also Amma knows things that they can't, so

they are limited in what they can do."

 

"Amma knows everything in this world. She can do anything!" says

Akhil, his faith echoing in this simple yet profound statement.

 

Another great draw is the way Amma deals with them. "Amma asks

us, `Have you done your homework? Are you studying regularly?' A few

years back when we were Amrit's age [six to seven years], She would

mostly laugh and play with us, but now She checks on our studies and

how we behave. If we have made a mistake, we say sorry to Amma. She

never gets angry with us. She will correct us very lovingly. She

does not scold or shout at us. Even parents don't understand our

problems and scold us sometimes, but never Amma. She is always very

kind," say the elder kids.

 

Ammu says, "She is guiding us at every step and knows how to deal

with us as we grow. She understands us perfectly." With a soft smile

she adds, "She means the world to us. For us, She is everything."

 

::

AMMA SHARANAM