Near and Dear

Master: You don’t like reading books and yet, you finished reading the manuscript of “The New Age Diet” in a few days. It covers the subject which is near and dear to you—Vegetarianism. Whatever is near and dear to you becomes effortless and you do your best. When God becomes near and dear to you then God’s hand is seen in everything. You become God-intoxicated and nothing else can attract you. You see God, God, and nothing but God. Oh my God! People ask me how they can get closer to God. I reply that God is not near and dear to you so, for now, pray for grace. For an athlete, basketball could be so near and dear that they become masters of the game. For others it could be something else. We have to choose what we want to be drawn to. This becomes our focal point in life. I use to joke and say, “My focal point is to trouble all the masters.” The Master just smiled and said, “We enjoy you troubling us, as it is done with a pure heart. The disciples become so near and dear to the Masters that the Masters spend their lives uplifting the disciples toward God realization. — Satish Daryanani