For this Sunday, we have an article by one of the participants of the World Youth Conference held in Prashanti Nilayam last month. Ms Evengelia Gryllou is a youth coordinator from Greece and in this short write-up succinctly conveys a young person’s struggle to discern the true from the false. This article is taken from the book “Ideal Sai Youth - Messengers of Sai Love” which was distributed to all the delegates of the World Youth Conference 2007.

At school we were taught that the 21st century is the century of technology, of speed, of competitiveness; an era full of challenges, of struggles and oppositions. We were told that very few friendships are true. We were made to believe that in order to be economically viable we must only think of ourselves. We were taught how to experience comfort, but on the way we lost the meaning of life. All in all, we were taught how to be alone, but at the same time, be content with it. After all, we made a lot of money.

Thus, we were alienated from ourselves. We forgot how to love and how to receive love. We believed in illusion and forgot ourselves; our true selves. We were lost, and felt alone and afraid.

At that time, at the darkest hour of our lives, the all-merciful Swami visited us. He was the one who cast the light in the darkness and made us see that there was nothing to be afraid of. He showed us that what we believed to be a poisonous snake, in reality, was just a harmless rope. He made us realise that money is not what makes us poor or rich.

It was then that we experienced pure Love for the first time. We wanted to cry, laugh, cheer, and remain silent... Jeeva (individual) met Shiva. What a long wait. How many lives... How many eras... And then suddenly we knew... We had to tell, we had to transmit the Love. We had to be the candle that lights other candles so that the flame becomes a fire that purifies everything and guides everyone.

Thus we started the journey. We had to find God within, because only with Him it felt safe and warm. Our souls were rejoicing for the first time. Love was nectar and we were in bliss, we were full of energy. We were never going to be alone again. We found Him... a constant friend, relative and teacher. We were not afraid anymore. We had Love as an ally.

Then all of a sudden we remembered... we remembered what a human being really is... and finally, we started really living.

Jai Sai Ram.