17th October 2013; 7am; kotma, Uttarakhand

Gopal kaka is 88. Joseph ji is 45. One lives in Ahemedabad, the other is a seeker and a wanderer. They have never met. Yet I felt a beautiful link between them. This post is about that.

Almost a year ago, few sadhaks from Ahmedabad went on a journey to Narmada. As they were walking on the road, one girl noticed that Gopal kaka would keep bending down, very frequently. On a closer look she saw he was picking up stones and throwing them on a side. Why?, she asked.

"The stones may hurt someone who steps on them." 

Unbound, unconditional love and selfless service.

About a month back, I started on a journey in Uttarakhand with Joseph ji. Our journey involved long walks and one day I noticed Joseph ji would keep bending down on the way. And I remembered Gopal kaka. But its not possible that Joseph ji is picking up stones. Simply because then he would keep put in one place as after the floods there is no road as such but stone paths. So what is he doing? I went closer and looked. He was picking up earthworms from the road and putting them on the side. Why?, I asked.

"The earthworms may get hurt if someone steps on them"

Unbound, unconditional love and selfless service.

I looked up and wondered at the funny ways God unites all of us. Two people, generations apart, who have never met, yet are connected in spirit :)
I have a feeling they will meet in real world soon!

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This blog is an excerpt from
Ashima's reflections on her journey, serving communities affected by the floods in Uttarakhand. You can read the entire blog on: http://www.volunteerweekly.org/

Posted by Ashima Goyal Siraj on Oct 15, 2013 | permalink