26 Dec 2007, Amritapuri
While I thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment during this year’s Christmas Eve program, I was also very aware of the fact that the anniversary of the tsunami was fast approaching. I remembered how I had experienced exhilarating joy watching the fire dancer during the 2004 Christmas Eve program, not having a clue that thirty-six hours later something so traumatic was going to happen.
As I sat on the sand at the beach last night (Christmas Day), tsunami memories started pouring into my mind. Tears running down my cheeks I remembered….
* Being at a bhajan practice at the top of the temple when the screaming began
* Looking down from the temple balcony and seeing water pouring into the ashram
* Western and Indian residents and visitors sitting together chanting archana on the temple roof; for me it was with the most focus I had ever had during archana
* Wading through the water as we were evacuated and moved to the Engineering College, leaving behind all of my belongings include thongs.
* Surprise at how lunch was served a few hours later. Amma had seen that we didn’t even miss a meal. She was doing the same for the villagers
* Grief of the villagers as they started moving into the Engineering College
* Spontaneous bhajans starting as Indian and Western devotees sat together in the hallway of the college
* Relief and joy of opening my eyes during the bhajans and seeing my daughter for the first time since the tsunami had hit six hours before
* Awe of Amma’s ability to provide help and solace to everyone from the first moment of the crisis
* Gratefulness at feeling completly content with a straw mat and a dry floor to sleep on.
* Amma’s grief as she sat quietly with us in the courtyard the next night.
* Devasting grief of the parents whose children were pulled out of their arms and taken by the sea.
December 26, 2004 and the days that followed will be forever in my memory.
Karuna, USA
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In my short time of living in Amritapuri I had never experienced the Ashram being so eerily quiet the few days after the flooding and death while most were across the backwaters to safety while a few of us stayed behind to straighten things out and manage what was left.
All the plant life was dying, and there were no crows anywhere! It was so quiet that the word quiet does not work.
Life as we know it was almost gone! Black, stinking, filth was everywhere, on almost everything underfoot and about one to two feet high off the ground. There were no dogs, no cats and no rats.
There was no Archana at 4:50am in Amritapuri and no bhajans for several nights until it was safe for the majority to come back safely.
I proved to me again that…
Nothing lasts, everything in this world dies. Only your true blessed nature exists. I pray for those souls lost that day and for the families that suffered so much and still do.
Om Amma, I throw myself at your Most Holy Lotus Feet.