<p>Motherhood introduced new meaning to the concept of sacrifice. I quickly learned that I had to let go of my own personal desires in order to serve my children.<br /><br /></p>.<p> But I was conflicted. As a working professional I resented the confinement that motherhood brought. I carried out my maternal duties, but my heart was not always in it. I had no idea that there was a different way of mothering. It was at the feet of Sai Baba, that I learned the nobility of selfless service.<br /><br />He said, “It is a pity that people today are not aware of the supreme greatness of sacrifice. There is sacrifice in every aspect of life. The joy to be derived from sacrifice is incalculable. One has to learn the supreme value of sacrifice from one’s own parents who sacrifice so much for the sake of their children…. Through love you must develop the spirit of sacrifice. Fill every one of your actions with love.”<br /><br /> I was taught that earning money, fame, and power were important. You got good grades to get a good position, not to help improve the lives of the sick and suffering. Looking young, acting young, being young—that was the be all and end all for women. It was Sai Baba who exposed my own self-centeredness to me.<br /><br />He taught, “The body is intended to serve as an instrument for realizing righteousness. There is no gain without pain. Sacrifice is the means for attaining immortality. Love and Sacrifice are like two eyes for man. Whatever sacrifice you make, treat it as an offering to God. Then work will be transformed into worship. All that Swami wants from you is your Love.”<br /><br />Imagine a Preceptor who loves you unconditionally. Sai Baba’s love was the magic potion that saved me from my wayward self. “There was a time in the past when men were prepared to sacrifice their all for the sake of the people and the welfare of the nation,” the Beloved Lord of Puttaparthi pronounced. “Today this spirit is absent. Selfishness is rampant. The educational system is responsible for this situation. Education should make students service-minded, not job-seekers. Parents have also a duty in this regard. They must reform their children by setting the example themselves.”<br /><br />My parents did the best they could. But the whole system of education and activities such as sports overshadowed their efforts — competition and winning were what mattered. Now I know better.<br /><br />Bhagawan Sai Baba insisted, “Charity is giving of money, time or energy for a good cause; sacrifice is giving up of one’s bad traits and weaknesses. If sacrifice means just giving up hearth and home, many people will do it very easily! The hall mark if true devotion is this sacrifice—the giving up of one’s bad traits and weaknesses. A true devotee should not be deterred by adversities in life. The differences between true and false devotion can be discovered only in times of adversity.” <br /></p>
<p>Motherhood introduced new meaning to the concept of sacrifice. I quickly learned that I had to let go of my own personal desires in order to serve my children.<br /><br /></p>.<p> But I was conflicted. As a working professional I resented the confinement that motherhood brought. I carried out my maternal duties, but my heart was not always in it. I had no idea that there was a different way of mothering. It was at the feet of Sai Baba, that I learned the nobility of selfless service.<br /><br />He said, “It is a pity that people today are not aware of the supreme greatness of sacrifice. There is sacrifice in every aspect of life. The joy to be derived from sacrifice is incalculable. One has to learn the supreme value of sacrifice from one’s own parents who sacrifice so much for the sake of their children…. Through love you must develop the spirit of sacrifice. Fill every one of your actions with love.”<br /><br /> I was taught that earning money, fame, and power were important. You got good grades to get a good position, not to help improve the lives of the sick and suffering. Looking young, acting young, being young—that was the be all and end all for women. It was Sai Baba who exposed my own self-centeredness to me.<br /><br />He taught, “The body is intended to serve as an instrument for realizing righteousness. There is no gain without pain. Sacrifice is the means for attaining immortality. Love and Sacrifice are like two eyes for man. Whatever sacrifice you make, treat it as an offering to God. Then work will be transformed into worship. All that Swami wants from you is your Love.”<br /><br />Imagine a Preceptor who loves you unconditionally. Sai Baba’s love was the magic potion that saved me from my wayward self. “There was a time in the past when men were prepared to sacrifice their all for the sake of the people and the welfare of the nation,” the Beloved Lord of Puttaparthi pronounced. “Today this spirit is absent. Selfishness is rampant. The educational system is responsible for this situation. Education should make students service-minded, not job-seekers. Parents have also a duty in this regard. They must reform their children by setting the example themselves.”<br /><br />My parents did the best they could. But the whole system of education and activities such as sports overshadowed their efforts — competition and winning were what mattered. Now I know better.<br /><br />Bhagawan Sai Baba insisted, “Charity is giving of money, time or energy for a good cause; sacrifice is giving up of one’s bad traits and weaknesses. If sacrifice means just giving up hearth and home, many people will do it very easily! The hall mark if true devotion is this sacrifice—the giving up of one’s bad traits and weaknesses. A true devotee should not be deterred by adversities in life. The differences between true and false devotion can be discovered only in times of adversity.” <br /></p>
