I began writing Deno in May of 2007. The first thing he did was to send a letter to the program coordinator telling her how upset he was that a married woman was writing to him. She and I exchanged emails on this. I thought it would be okay, that I'd like to keep on corresponding with him.
Well Deno then proceeded to try every "trick" in the book to test
me. He wanted pictures, money,
send me this, send me that. “If
you were really my friend, you'd do these things for me,” he wrote. I lovingly
reminded him of what COLI was about, but he did everything he could think of to
get me to break the "rules". At one point he sent a very
angry letter telling me what a bad person I was and how he couldn't trust me
because I didn't do what he asked of me. He said he couldn't correspond with
someone he did not trust.
At this point, we had been communicating for about a year. I wrote him telling
him how sorry I was that he wanted to end our correspondence and apologized for
failing to meet his expectations, and would be happy to have someone else be
assigned to correspond with him. I told him I'd miss his letters and to let me
know how he wanted to proceed.
It was a turning point. This is what he just wrote:
"You know something, since you and I have been corresponding to each other you've really gave me such inspiration to hold no bitterness inside, just let it go, and I must say I do feel much better........I really was looking for a way to let go of this bitterness. It was truly hard at first and I must say you've hung in there with me over these last several months. I really mean this, you came into my lifeand made it a difference......I feel that you were my Angel sent from a special place.......Also, the very next time you get a chance to Hug the Divine Mama, please let her know how much I truly appreciate her and the program for allowing us to be a part of each other life's. Thank you dearly for everything."
This is from a man who committed a horrible crime, who did not want to talk about God or Amma or anything spiritual when we first began corresponding. He threw every hurdle onto the path.
Approaching this seva (selfless service) with no expectations, with the purest
intent, that is, to write from our hearts......be firm, but loving and give the
results to Amma for only by Her Grace will we make a difference.
Needless to say, Deno will be getting his hug in Detroit.
Cindy, Maine