This woman supervises the kitchen of Quo Vadis Interfaith Dialogue Center here in Tiru.
I go there often for food, for me the purest, simplest and nicest Indian food around here. After having uttered in a praising tone of voice ‘mamma mia’ about the food, she became Mammamiaji for me. She was fine with letting me take her picture for illustrating this here.
I take the opportunity to describe a small thingy that for me was rather important.
The eating place has a groundfloor and a first floor in a local style but almost pyramid style construction. Once I went upstairs with my food and ate it there. Only when I came down for some extra rice, the food serving boy told me nicely that upstairs was for meditation only. So, I took my bag and finished my meal at ground-floor.
One day, while sitting in the garden having food, a family started climbing up, food and all.
I said that upstairs was for meditation only. The WOMAN walked on and her son called after her, repeating my message. The couple didn’t come back and the son was in doubt.
I felt that I felt neglected, but emotionless, as a matter of fact, and suddenly I did what had to be done. “No way’, I muttered to my (then still) friend R, stood up, quietly walked up the stairs, adressed the lady and said: Sorry madam, you can pretend to be deaf, but this place is meant for meditation only’, turned around and walk down the stairs back to my meal. And yes, a bit later the couple stumbled down with their tali filled stainless steel plates and found themselves a place in the garden somewhere.
Why is this so important to me?
Well, the last weeks a lot has cleared up about doing what’s right, following your own nature, the drive to help people and the danger of wanting to prevent people to suffer so that they will not hit bottom and start their own search. This combined with giving up the actions of your deeds, which is the essence of karma yoga.
From the current clairity on this mix the above action came. Purer then ever, no need to have a result, just not accepting to be neglected and setting it right.
For ages I have been investing in the same within my family with at least the mistake that I expected results from this action, which made the whole story even more painfull and embarrassing then it already was, (but it had to be done, as far as i was concerned).
Only while reading this over I notice that the son of this woman, a young boy, was also being neglected, the well being of the mom being valued higher than clear communication with the kid: the story of my family life.
Mammamiaji, again, thanks for the great food.
hans
