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Posted on: Jul 25, 2017

For Swami, Nothing is Impossible

by Ms. Nooshin Mehrabani

Ms. Nooshin Mehrabani was born in Iran and worked as a reporter for Iranian National Radio and Television. She continued her career with an Iranian TV station after moving to Los Angeles, USA. Since 1991, when she first heard about Sai Baba, she has made many trips to India and has been blessed with several chances of interaction with Bhagawan. In 2007, she moved to Puttaparthi which she calls as her home, and now happily serves in the Western Canteen as a volunteer. She has also authored the book “Love and Suffering” which is the thrilling narration of her journey to Swami.

Living in Puttaparthi as a foreigner has its own challenges and obtaining the long-term visa is not easy at all. Even though nobody is foreign to Swami, on the worldly level there are rules that we have to follow.

An Unexpected Sorrow

On February 9, 2017 I had a ticket to USA to apply for a new visa. My family members were excited to see me and everything was in order for this trip.

Then, on January 26, 2017, late at night I got a phone call from my family in the USA giving me shocking news. My 29-year-old nephew had suddenly died from a heart attack without any prior symptoms.

He was a charming person with so much love and had not yet married. I remember the last time we saw each other, he asked so many questions about Sai Baba. He even went to the Internet to see His picture and find more information about Swami. I also gave my nephew some Vibhuti then.

We, as devotees, are so fortunate to practice Sai teachings and one of the most important lessons is to know our true identity, which is not this body. No one can escape from this truth forever; we have to accept and lose the fear of losing the body.

But for my brother who had just lost his son and who is himself not a Sai devotee, the huge attachment to his son was almost drowning him. I did not know how to talk to him and the rest of the family on the telephone. I could only offer my condolences for this tragedy that was to them the biggest catastrophe that had ever happened in their lives.

God gave them all the happiness in the world but unfortunately sadness always follows happiness; they are inseparable.

Swami says, “Happiness and sorrow have to be experienced in the worldly life as they are inevitable, like sunset and sunrise.”

I thought that if my family believed in Swami's teachings, maybe they would suffer a little less. They say that the loss of a child is the biggest test that God can put someone through.

Very soon I was able to change my ticket from February 9 to January 29. The Emirates flight from Bangalore to Dubai was short but after that it was 16 hours non-stop from there to Los Angeles. Carrying my sadness it felt too long to sit alone on a flight and so for this only, I prayed to Swami, “Baba, I wish I was not alone on this long flight. I need somebody to distract my mind.”

A Moving Meeting Arranged by the Almighty

I have travelled many places in the world on my own but for some reason I felt very uncomfortable as I sat in Dubai waiting to take the flight by myself. The flight was called and there was nothing to do but board it.

There were many empty seats including the two next to me. Just before the door closed a man and a woman entered. They approached and told me that their seats were next to mine and would I kindly allow them to sit. While standing to let them in the man looked at me and asked, “Are you Nooshin?”

I glanced up at him in surprise and recognized that he was my brother's best friend. He and his American wife live in Iran but like me were flying to USA for the funeral of my nephew. We had all known each other when we lived in America.

Twenty years had passed since we had seen each other and also many changes in our lives. In this shared moment of happiness and sadness we all began to cry.

I immediately remembered how I had prayed to Swami, “I wish someone was with me on this long journey.” How quickly Baba had answered my prayer!

I learned they had begun this trip on Qatar Air, departing from their home in north-eastern Iran. A two-hour delay in Iran caused them to miss their connecting flight.

The airport personnel told them that they would only make it to Los Angeles that day if they flew first to Dubai and then switched to Emirates. The airline even offered for them to do this at no extra cost. Now here they were in the big plane with so many empty seats, but assigned the two next to me. If they had been sitting even anywhere elsewhere I probably would have missed them.

Who else but Swami could have arranged everything so perfectly? My friends were inconvenienced but Swami made the impossible possible for His daughter who had prayed for His compassion in the form of a companion. They too felt it was a true miracle and for me, it confirmed what I already know: Swami is always with me and I don't need any intermediary to reach Him.

Their presence made that trip easier for all of us. We had 20 years of catching up to do and also could comfort one another over the loss of this wonderful young man. They knew I was living in India but did not know I was a Sai devotee.

This gave me an opportunity to talk about some of Swami's teachings. I then told them about the book I had written and shared some of my experiences about Baba. They were eager to read more about Him.

By Swami's plan, I had two copies of the book in my carry-on. Once we landed I was able to give one to them and they were very thankful. Throughout their visit, they shared our travel experience and all agreed that only God could have planned and arranged our meeting. It has been said, “When you have God on your side, nothing is impossible.”

We went together to meet my brother and his devastated family. I was grateful to be there to support them, which I did just by being quiet or crying with them and giving them space to grieve in their own way. I accompanied them to the cemetery as often as they wanted to go. I wished I could share with them my understanding and experience of the atma and the spirit but they only missed their son's body and felt that now that he had died, everything was finished.

One day, almost a month after his loss, I was with my brother with nobody around and he began to share his feelings. He said the whole world was dead for him and nothing would make him happy anymore. I know suffering plays a big role in helping us to detach from this material world and that there are always positives and negatives in every drama.

The Reassuring Touch of His Love

After 40 heavy days in USA, finally by Swami's Grace, my long-term visa was approved. Leaving for India and my home in Puttaparthi was a relief, but in the back of my mind I still was concerned about the family I left behind. Their wounds were open and I kept praying for Swami to help them.

Ten days after my return to India, Swami, my Beloved source of love and peace, out of His compassion, came one night to me. In the dream He was giving darshan in His beautiful orange robe.

As soon as He saw me He came to stand so close before me that I could feel His heavenly breath. I told Him, “Swami, You know I lost my nephew. My brother and his family are very sad.” Then I added, “Swamiji, please give them acceptance and peace.”

“Yes,” He said, while reaching out His soft hand for me to kiss. Immediately when the dream finished, I woke up with the feeling of relief; not even a little bit of concern remained.

Baba says, “If you ruminate, you will realise that the wife, the children, the possessions, the relatives are not yours for long; they are yours only for a short time. So, why waste away worrying over these impermanent things?”

Perhaps my nephew was an old soul in a young body. I don't know but still I pray his spirit can help his family realise that life is eternal and that he will be closer to them than ever. I know the God of the Universe was and is in control of our lives.

So this is not a story about grief. Instead, it is about how God lets each individual go through his or her own karma. It is about how along with sadness I also can feel acceptance, contentment and peace, trusting that His invisible hand is always there; His eyes are always looking at us, and caring for us on earth as in heaven.

Thank you and loving Sai Ram,
Team Radio Sai