16 Sep 2010, Amritapuri

It was a busy Thursday and Amma’s Darshan were going on a full swing. Devotees from all over the world thronging to see Amma and Amma with all earnest to see her children. Some eyes cry, some smiled and all this goes on day long. It was almost 11 hours after Amma had started Darshan that day. A group of girls came on the Darshan queue, wearing beamingly beautiful smiles as they neared Amma. One of them had a shining glass trophy in her hand. The trophy itself was attractive: a multi-sided polygon that looked almost spherical crowned the top and two slender glass bars held it giving it an Olympic award like shape. The girls belonged to some college within Amrita University and they had brought their award to share their joy with Amma. Amma usually turns totally loving-joyful when she sees her children recognized, be it any one.

That moment, Amma’s face broke into a special smile, a smile that could mean “I am proud of you”. Amma usually reminds us through that special feeling that she belongs to her children. True to the word, Amma’s face was dazzling with joy. She asked them all about the achievement. She even took the trophy and cuddled it, showing it to those near her. That Darshan seemed to go on for tens of minutes. Every one on the team that won received a showering joyful cuddle and that too with the trophy on Amma’s lap. There was no single face around Amma that couldn’t resist smiling back. Lo! This was the same Amma, who being given the Gandhi-King award for non-violence only prayerfully touched it, even when Jane Goodall nudging her to take it and hold it by herself. To Amma, her children are her wealth. She sits long days in Darshan for 15-16 hours and then in the room even calls for urgent meetings related to Seva leaving her less than one or one-and-half hours for herself. She waits to hear and console every one of her children.

The moment Amma shares the joy of her children, only happiness remains – no pain, no sorrow can ever come near and no words to describe. Even sugar loses its sweetness for such is the joy Amma spreads!

– Shyam