Swami and I go back a long way. It is funny but if one is destined to be with Him, one will be, no matter what happens. My story is some what like that. I was only five years old when I first heard of Sai Baba. My cousins were all Sai devotees and they all attended Bal Vikas (Sai Spiritual Education) classes. So they asked me if I would be interested in going along. I really enjoyed the classes and slowly learnt to pray to Swami for everything. My parents, on the other hand, had another Guru (spiritual teacher) and so did my brother, but I grew to love Swami and trust in Him for my every need. My parents respected that and we all learnt to believe that "all paths lead to the same goal".

As I grew up, I continued to grow in the Sai organization. After Bal Vikas, I joined the youth group and then the Young Adults group. I taught the Bal Vikas and the youth in the group. I gave talks and workshops to thousands of people. I learnt confidence and public speaking, all from being in Swami's fold.

As the years have gone with Him holding my hand, a lot of little miracles have happened which have strengthened my faith in Him. I'd like to relate two very special miracles that will always stay close to my heart.

I was 18 when I had my first job. I worked in a law firm. I had a very trying boss who was very impatient and rude to me. He would shove files in my stomach and make me cry. So after working there for a year, I told Swami that I couldn't take it anymore and that I had to resign. I typed up my resignation letter, sealed it in an envelope and gave it to the Human Resources Manager. She took it and said that it would be very sad to see me go. I went home that evening and had this inner voice telling me that I shouldn't have resigned. I was in such a dilemma and didn't know whether the inner voice was really Swami or just my "fear talking", I decided to write on two chits (one saying that I should stay and the other saying that I should quit) and placed them in front of Swami's picture. I prayed hard and told Swami that the piece of paper I would pick up would be His answer and that I would follow it no matter what. Of course I picked up the chit that said "don't quit". Now I was really in a predicament. I said to Swami "How can I do this? I've already handed in my resignation letter?" But I had to follow Swami's orders so off I went to work the next day and sheepishly approached the Human Resources Manager and told her that I had decided not to quit. She was delighted and she handed me back my resignation letter (which she hadn't even opened!). So I stayed in the company and a week later, I got a promotion and I got transferred to another department with a new boss who was the nicest person. I thanked Swami for this wonderful miracle. This made me understand that everything He does He does for our best.

My second most profound miracle happened when I had arrived at the Atlanta Airport for the first time. I was alone and lost. The people who were supposed to pick me up didn't tell me where they would meet me. I prayed I had some small change, and just then, a lady came up to me and asked me if I'd like some coins to make a call. I called them, but they were not answering their telephone. So I was pacing up and down, not knowing what to do. I heard people's names being called on the PA system and then I prayed to Swami. "Swami if my friends paged me, I would know where to go". Five minutes later, I heard my name being called on the PA system "Neeta Mirpuri, go to E-6, your party is waiting for you. I asked someone how I could get to E-6, they guided me and sure enough my friends were waiting there. I said to them "Had you not paged me, I would have never found you" and do you know what they said to me? "We didn't page you". I just smiled and whispered a silent thank you prayer to Swami

Such are the ways of our lovely Bhagawan. He has held my hand since I was five and is still holding on.