In Vacant or in Pensive Mood

She would be sitting outside the shelter home building, under the only tree that dared to brave the sun glaring down on the old school courtyard. As soon as I push the large, rusty gate open, I would find her fix her gaze on me, and wait patiently as I made my way across the courtyard to where she sat. I would smile, and sync my lips to a muted, “ Saaptingala” and gesture with one hand towards my mouth, as she would grab my other hand and literally drag me into the building. Once inside the empty dormitory room, lined only with the meagre belongings of about twenty old destitute women, she would spread a mat on the floor and seat me down on it. We had a unique connection, this old lady (Ammayamma) and I. She would move her toothless mouth in a multitude of directions, not knowing what sounds emerged from it as she tried to communicate with me. I would attempt to understand what she said, and occasionally needed some help from her roommates. She would be telling me about meeting h...

Every morning, we wake up and do things in a hurry. We might find time to spend a while in prayer, where we quickly make a to-do list of things for God. Then we promptly proceed with our day because there is so much of living to do. I don't know about you, but sometimes I worry. I worry that I don't exactly feel a connection with God like I used to when I was a child. I worry that I am not able to hear His voice when I pray. Today, though, He spoke to me loud and clear as I was travelling to work and singing to myself a song that seemed to pop into my head out of the blue. The song goes like this: "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord..." "Do you allow me to speak?", God asked. "How do you expect to hear my voice when you are so busy doling out tasks for me to do, soon after which you are rushing to other unimportant things? It’s very simple, I speak if you listen! Spend time with me, wait upon me."