A Conversation With God

I was sleeping soundly
and suddenly, I was woken with a jolt.
A bright light was shining
and it was emitting rays of gold.
In that light I could see an Entity
and it seemed to envelop my personality.
He said,"Come to me, my child,
I am God."
I was deeply moved
and could not utter a word.
He said,"Do you have any questions?
I am here to answer them."
I suddenly found my voice and said,
"I would like to ask You a few things
if You have the time."
God answered graciously,
"Eternity is My time
and it is enough for Me to do everything in."
I asked a little hesitantly,
"What surprises You most about mankind?"
God smiled benignly and said,
"Very quickly they get bored with being children
and want to grow up.
And, when they do grow up,
they want to be children again.
They are in a rush to make money
and lose their health in the process.
And, then, they lose their money
to restore their health.
They think about their future
and pine for what is not.
They forget the present
and, then, they live, neither for the present
nor for the future.
They live as if they will never die
and, when they die,
they do so so ignominiously
as if they had never lived."
I was trying to understand all that God had said.
Suddenly, He took my hands
in His hands
and reassured me with His beatific smile.
I found the courage and asked again,
"What would You like to teach Your children?"
God smiled again and answered,
"That you cannot force anyone to love you.
That, if you love someone,
you must let him go and set him free.
If he would come back,
he would be yours forever.
If he doesn't, he never was yours to love.
That, what is precious is not life,
but what they do with their life.
It is not important who you are.
What you are, is more important.
That, comparisons never got anyone anywhere.
But, what you are as an individual
is going to open the Gates of Heaven for you.
That, riches are not going to get you a good life.
You are rich if your needs
are the least,
and that would result in a fruitful life.
That, it is easy to hurt someone
and make him bleed.
But, it is a tough task
to tend to wounds and cure them.
That, the quality admired the most by all
is to learn to forgive and forget.
That, money is important in life.
But, it cannot buy you a night's sound sleep.
And, above all, to know
that your Dharma is to do your Karma
without thinking about the fruits.
Follow the path of goodness
and leave the rest to ME.
To understand
that I am there for you now
and will be there forever.
That you should have faith in ME
and I will show you the path to Heaven."
I stood there in front of Him
and could not utter another word.
I was so awe-struck by the spectacle and the replies
that I felt overwhelmed.
Suddenly, the light disappeared
and with it the Vision of God.
My life was enriched for a while
but I was hungry for more.
Like all human beings
greed enveloped me
and I wanted to have more.
Then, I remembered what God had said
and, all avarice, anger, hatred and pride left me.
My whole being was filled with love,
Love for God and Love for my fellow beings.
Life seemed to acquire a new meaning.
I felt one with the ONENESS of GOD.
And, the lesson I learnt was---
If God is with me,
then, nothing and no one can go against me.(13.09.2000)