Letters from India - Part 2

8. Venkamma Reads My Palm - April 1989

Venkamma Reads My Palm

April 20, 1989 Prasanthi Nilayam

Sai Ram,

All is fine here, thanks to the compassion of the gods.

I got in a big fight with Venkamma and she ended up saying she wanted nothing more to do with me - it was like are play of what happened exactly one year ago, with Parvatamma! But this time, instead of me running off to Sai in Kodai Kanal, I quickly ran to Ganesha and to all the gods, begged forgiveness, promised to change, and did urgent prayers to retain Venkamma’ company; she’s too precious to lose.

Luckily Ganesha saved me and the very next evening (I had stayed away from Venkamma’s house in fear!) Venkamma ran after me to give prasad and the day after that she took me under her wing again and now all is fine. I'm sure Ganesha did something or it could have never happened that smoothly! Anyway, I’ve resolved to change, to listen to whatever she says, not talk back or argue and instead, to think about her and not myself. It’s a big step for me to treat God also with respect! I’ve always felt He could be pushed around nicely, even if in a human form and acted human. How could God have pains, He’s beyond it all! But He wants devotion I guess. She is teaching me.

Now, did you know Venkamma can also read palms? She took my hand the other day and was surprised, “You have nothing at all! Nothing at all! No family members or relatives will be near you, no money, no education, no marriage at all, no big worries, no big sorrows, mind will be just like that, equal, but very strong mind, and many years of life, till 70 or 80.” She also said some years back I had more money, which is true. All this she kept repeating: no money, no relatives nearby etc., and also stressed no marriage, shaking her hand in the Indian, “no” many times. Only I was disappointed to hear I may live longer! The only thing I asked her was how long she’d life, and she said, “Oh, I have many, many years – up to 90.” (Now she’s about 68).

Venkamma asked me, “Do you write to your mother that I scold you a lot?” I answered yes. She looked very shy and said, “You shouldn’t write it!” So I said, I also tell you that it’s teaching me good lessons and Venkamma shouts at me for my own good. She kept quiet at that.

Now that Venkamma has told the truth that there’s no marriage for me, we can rest assured Swami’s words to me in the interview room really did mean moksha.

I am truly blissful with Venkamma’s company, but I am starting to miss Sai’s Darshan a tiny bit, it’s a month now that I haven’t seen Him.

Well, stay well all, Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.

Love,

Divya