Daily Miracles -Love Is All Around

As a child, I was mesmerized by magical stories in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Disney movies such as Cinderella and Snow White showed characters summoning miracles. It became almost my second nature to trust if you prayed hard enough or had an unblemished character, then miraculous solutions would fall into place. But it wasn’t until later when books revealed that life itself is full of magic – where beauty can be found right under our noses, but we’re often too bogged down with life challenges to appreciate its presence! Some books said miracles were hidden amongst everyday scenes but all too easily missed through our busyness. They said, a life full of magic awaits us if we notice. All these stories revealed to me that we humans can invoke divine intervention through sincere prayer. Whenever there seemed to be an impossible situation, the story characters would pray with such intensity that it almost felt like anything could happen… and usually did!

That same belief has stayed embedded within me ever since – if you want something enough and trust your power of prayer, nothing will stand between you and your dreams. I also understood that some are gifted or so pure they could command these heavenly forces without pleading for help.

I never questioned any of these ideas. I was so comfortable believing and living with them, an illusion that they were my beliefs. Gradually, I realized they were actually borrowed ones. Probably, I am experiencing one of the side effects of meditation as I am increasingly becoming aware of my thoughts and I question what I know.

I realize that these are someone’s imaginations or experiences that got translated into stories, movies, etc. I benefited and thrived on them, but I had yet to arrive at my understanding of miracles.

In one of the conversations with God last week, I said, God, please give me at least one opportunity every day to help someone. I don’t have time to go out and do volunteer work, but I will do it if you send me the opportunity.

The next day, our car broke down. God’s mercy that it happened on Sunday afternoon when the car was in the garage. We only use one car for the whole family ( our bit to the environment and our belief in minimalism). We were all prepared for Monday and the week with this new challenge.

Monday morning, we managed to tow the car and we got an appointment in the afternoon. It was chilly and windy in the afternoon. I was walking down fast to the post office as I had to get done with the shipping before my husband was ready to come and pick me up. He was at the car dealer getting the car repaired. We had to solve this problem before my daughter’s pick-up time from school.

When I am in the city, my eyes look around for grocery retail stores. It helps me save trips as I have to drive all the way down the hill for any purchases. I was disappointed. I noticed this place is only designated for car businesses. Other than car showrooms, I couldn’t see anything around.

I hurriedly walked into the post office, and thankfully, there were not many people and I could get out of the post office quickly. Now I was waiting for my husband to arrive. My gaze shifted from the chaotic parking space outside the post office to a lone homeless man seated in his wheelchair, seemingly just trying to soak up as much sunshine as possible.

There was a jam outside the post office. It was one of those rare times when I heard people honking and becoming impatient. Amidst blaring car horns and honks of disgruntled drivers waiting for an opening at that limited lot – it dawned on me how everyone is faced with their struggles. While this unfortunate soul wore them almost resignedly upon himself like each moment was ticking until he could get away. He is struggling too. It felt like he was counting minutes and waiting for his time here to get over just like you are in the doctor’s clinic queue to finally get done with the pain.

Imagining what must have gone through him made my heart sink – wishing I had something meaningful or tangible enough to ease even some distress but sadly realizing all I had left were kind words that probably wouldn’t cut it here today… I realized I had no cash on me, I was only carrying a credit card, and there was no retail store around so that I could buy something for him.

Suddenly with the wind, his plastic mug holding a bunch of pennies fell off his hand and all the coins spread in the parking lot. He tried bending down, but he was struggling. My mind said, “Wait, Nikunj, don’t go. You don’t have any money to offer him, what will you put in his donation box? And you know that helping homeless people is not that straight here. You can easily offend them with your offer. Many times they are dealing with some mental illness, don’t put yourself at risk.” Before I could listen to my logical mind, I had crossed and run to the curb and was already picking up his coins.

I was pained to see that he hardly had any money to even buy a cup of coffee. It was so cold outside. I picked up all the coins and felt guilty that I couldn’t add a single penny to his cup. I hoped that I would get to pick up a dollar bill, but no, it was only pennies. I thought, what if he is expecting a dollar or two from me? What if he requests? I imagined that moment and was embarrassed because I had nothing at this moment. Would he believe me? With a struggling voice, he said, “God bless you!” I was in tears. Did he know that I had nothing to give him? Was he saving me from embarrassment? Who was helping who?

I stood at the curb, wondering if there was anything I could do for this homeless man. I called my husband as he was on his way and asked, “Do you have any cash or coins with you? I knew that we remove everything from the car whenever it’s going for servicing. I was expecting he would not have cash. But with hope, I asked him. Disheartened and helpless after realizing that there was no money to give him at this moment, we hung up our conversation with a heavy heart. In my mind, I was praying and praying, almost banging on God’s door.

I turned around to have a last look at the man, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I saw one lady hurrying up to him and putting bills in his cup. Another lady asked him if he would like to have some water. She rushed to her car, got a bottle of water, and gave it to him. Another person put some more bills in his cup. One lady asked him if he was warm enough and if he was feeling okay. A couple of more people were walking towards him. It was as if people were lining up to give him as angels descended onto the earth, responding to my silent prayer for aid on behalf of this humble soul.

Suddenly it seemed as if God had answered my prayers and filled refuge for this poor soul; I witnessed a miracle unfold before me. I didn’t know if I should cry or be happy. I looked up at the sky and thanked him.

I am thrilled that my understanding of miracles was revealed unexpectedly, unfolding as a beautiful moment. And this time, it’s my own experience. If you are willing to recognize the miracles, they will appear right before your eyes with great frequency. Miracles are not limited to extraordinary events, such as curing cancer or surviving an accident with no injury. This is because miracles are an expression of love, an expression of God’s presence in the world. When you see one, it is essential to have faith and trust that it has happened for a reason — even if you do not immediately understand it.

For a long time, I thought miracles were something special that happened only to some people! But now I realize that miracles are ordinary events that occur daily if we recognize them. They are ordinary moments when we experience love and connection with others, when we feel God’s love through another person, through nature, art, music, or any other things we do not usually associate with God at all. My narrow thinking and assumptions about people also changed. I will never be able to feel the way I feel when I see a homeless person again.

But then, how is a bud turning into a rose a miracle? How is the fragrance from a flower a miracle? How is the seed sprouting from the earth a miracle? I mean I have read how these are simple miracles. I looked up at the sky again. Waiting for another revelation.