YOU ARE ALREADY THERE

 An hour ago,

I was talking to a lady.

It was afternoon time, so I asked,

“Ma’am, lunch over?”.

 “No lunch for me today;

Friday is my fasting day,” she told me.

“Every Friday?” I expressed my surprise.

“Yes, every Wednesday

And every Sunday, too,” she replied.

“My, God! What for you fast so much?”

 I enquired.

“Wednesday for my husband,

Friday for my daughter

And Sunday for myself and a few dear ones,”

This lady told me.

“Please add me on your Sunday list, ma’am,”

I said jokingly.

“You are there in it, already!” I was told.

“So kind of you, ma’am… So sweet!” I exclaimed.

Was she serious?

She must be.

So many times I tell this to so many people,

“I will pray for you.”

But then, do I?

And, so many times I tell it to some people,

“Please pray for me,” and I am told, “Certainly, I will.”

But then, do they?

All this happens so mechanically… and, our life goes on!

Today, when this lady said,

She fasts for me, along with some of her dear ones,

 I must feel good, grateful and cared for.

I don’t think God will send a special angel

To break the news,

“Gerry, I am happy with your well-wisher’s fast for you…

So, here I bless you!”

Blessing lies in my yearning… 

How well I mean!

For God, a Sunday or a Wednesday

or a Friday makes no difference…

But, for us, it does…

Because, as this lady does,

She really leaves aside

Everything else on Wednesdays

And prays for her beloved husband…

On Fridays, she does the same thing

For her wonderful daughter…

And when Sunday comes,

She really brings her focus

On herself and a few dear ones.

If my body is a temple,

God must be dwelling there in it.

So, whenever I fast,

I become aware of the sanctity of this temple…

I become aware of my God…

I become aware of some dear, dear ones in my life…

Oh yes, I am already there in my well-wisher’s list of dear-ones…

Because, God, my eternal well-wisher, is already there!

“I will pray for you,” when I say this, I have already prayed!

GERALD D’CUNHA

THANKS:

The image used in this Post is by Ashok Ahuja. He is a professional Photographer and a very dear friend of mine. He is also one of the founder members of The Dawn Club, and, along with his gifted-artist wife, Sudha, has been helping me, and the Club, right from its inception.