After the other men retired, Francis would prepare tea for himself at 9:00 P.M., write until 1:00 or 2:00 A.M., prepare more tea, and then sleep. When Baba came to mandali hall in the morning, he would call Francis. Francis would come looking very sleepy, his legs quite stiff. Each morning, Baba would hand him "half-a-moon" (a stimulant) to prevent him from falling asleep.1
Baba had asked the Westerners to write one letter to him when they returned home, and these began pouring in to Meherazad, each filled with love. Every letter was read out to Baba, and love radiated from his face as he listened to them.
Writing Baba was not as easy as it may sound. Persons would, at times, suffer mental anguish trying to articulate their heartfelt words and expressions. An example of a touching incident regarding writing a letter to Baba was later recounted by Henry Kashouty of Virginia:
At the East-West Gathering in November 1962, we were told by Baba to write to him on our return home. This instruction from Baba weighed heavily on my mind. I struggled without success to say from my heart what should be said to him, but could not find the words. My delay in responding was a constant anxiety.
Then late at night on a weekend, when I was alone at home, Fred Winterfeldt phoned me from New York City. He said he had received a communication from Baba: "Where is Henry's letter?"
After I hung up the telephone, I sat down to write Baba. It was in the early A.M. The rain started pouring down, thunder and lightning was continuous. In the midst of this, my response to Baba was written:
Beloved, Beloved,My words to you, O my Beloved, cannot be purer than I am and my heart aches. O Poet, I have no words for you and my dumbness is like stone that tries to cry out before you pass. I have no eyes to see you and my tears find no escape. These brutish hands hold no gift for the child of Light. O Magic Baba, will you tell Baba I love him? Will you look at him for me, will you carry a gift to him for me?
I am yours for Eternity. — Henry
Footnotes
- 1.Baba would also give his personal watchman a stimulant to keep awake throughout the night, if he was sleepy.