I would like to tell a story, 3 stories really which I believe will bring a smile to every readers face knowing that we are ‘never’ alone, as God is with us always. This story is to do with the passing of my father-in-law, my father, and later my mother. But at different stages of course.
This story tells of the grace of Baba (Sathya Sai) who is always with us when we turn and rely on Him fully. I did think long and hard whether to tell this or not, but then I came to the conclusion that it will help others in knowing a little more of what awaits us after death. Now I have been out of body many, many times since very young, and most times I have been taken for short visits over the other side to show me certain things and to introduce me to some.
My Father-in-law
First, I will tell of my father-in-law’s passing which came about on Christmas Day, 25th December 2020. He is German born and served in the Foreign Legion after WWII. He married his German sweetheart and had 2 boys while in Germany. Because of the cold conditions where they lived, his son suffered with Pneumonia which caused great stress and anxiety knowing if they don’t move to a warmer climate, his son would certainly not last. So they decided to migrate to Australia. My mother-in-law was 3 months pregnant with my wife, then after settling in Australia, another daughter was born. 4 children in all.
Now my father-in-law was not a Baba devotee, but he did believe in a higher power and he was a good man. He was diagnosed in 2016 with MYELOMA, which is a malignant tumour of the bone marrow. He was 81 when diagnosed. After a number of years with many visits to the doctor’s and to the hospital for treatments, which never helped much as his end was rapidly nearing and he knew it. He had a wonderful outlook on life and a good sense of humour. He was a very positive man and never did his approaching death worry him; he accepted it and that was that. He saw everyone equal, and would always say hello no matter who they were or what they looked like.
In 2020 he was placed in Palliative for better treatment and proper care. Palliative Care is in a hospital where they relieve pain with heavy medication without dealing with the cause of the condition as there was nothing that could be done, but only to make him comfortable and pain free. He was still alert and could even hold long conversations when we visited him in the hospital. Then one day my wife and I along with my mother-in-law paid him a visit, but sadly this day he was not responding as he was in a coma like sleep. A nurse entered the room and began explaining to us of his approaching death. Suddenly the TV on the wall gave out a loud burst as if someone turned the volume up which really astounded us. The nurse went over and turned the volume down, so she could talk. Then it happened again, only this time it was with the full volume and we all jumped including myself. The nurse couldn’t understand it, she said what’s going on I turned the volume right down, how could this happen.
After she left I, then knew someone unseen must be present. So I tuned myself in and saw 3 figures standing next to my father-in-law’s bed, but on the opposite side. They were all looking at me with big smiles and said they were here waiting for him to leave his body. Those present were my father-in-law’s mother, eldest son and sister. Because my mother-in-law won’t accept my ability to see the unseen, I dared not mention who was present. When we got home, I took my wife to the side and told her of who I was talking with. I explained to my wife that this woman in spirit told me she died before your father was born; she was around 3 or 4 years old. My wife couldn’t answer that question; she didn’t know. But later she asked her mother in which she gave the full account of what happened as she was told by her husband many years ago when young.
Apparently in Germany at the near end of WWII, my father-in-law’s sister who was the firstborn, was 5 years old. There were rampant diseases occurring in Germany at that time, and the little girl caught one disease and later died. Her name was Rita, and she was present with her mother and nephew waiting for her brother to join them.
Strange thing though, my mother-in-law never asked my wife why do you ask this. Anyway, I was asked to conduct the funeral service in which I happily accepted. Now if anyone has heard the Foreign Legions National Anthem, they would know that it really is a wonderful sound. At the end of the service the Anthem was played in honour of my father-in-law. I again tuned my vision in and saw him standing in the middle of the room with arms out smiling broadly and dancing to the music, he was so happy and full of joy. What a beautiful sight this was. I only wished I could have mentioned it as it may have given my mother-in-law peace of mind knowing that her husband is safe and in excellent hands. But again I dared not.
My Father/My Dad
Now to tell the story of my father who (IS) a Baba devotee. He was diagnosed in his mid-60s with Pleural plaques, which is a thickening of the lining of the lunges that develop after prolonged asbestos exposure. As he got older his breathing became very difficult. He couldn’t walk over 3 steps before his breath and his energy near disappeared.
I would often take him to the doctors, hospital/s, X-rays, Blood Tests, Breathing Tests and so on and so on. Dr Haider examined his chest X-Ray and discovered he had cancer. A very large grey shadow was covering his lunges. Prayers were offered to Swami asking for help, and our prayers were nonstop. Constantly I would take my father for checkups, medications and tests. This went on for several years then one day when I took him back to Dr Haider, the doctor looked at his NEW X-ray and shook his head. I asked him what’s the matter; the doctor looked at me with a frown and said, it’s impossible. What’s impossible I asked, his recent X-ray now shows no cancer, there is no grey shading over his lunges. I just don’t understand this he said. So the doctor sent us to a Specialist in Sydney and even this Specialist couldn’t understand it because, he looked at the old X-rays which showed the massive cancerous area, then looked back at the recent X-ray which showed all clear, no cancer.
He too said I don’t understand it, there is nothing I can do. So we then went back home. Now my father was supposed to pass in his 70s because of the rapidly spreading cancer and the Asbestos disease, but with Swami’s Grace he lived till 92.
My father’s breathing was still very difficult and his energy levels were, well, he had no energy at this point and struggled when taking one step only. So he became bedridden.
At the age of 92, he would often say, oh Wayne, I feel like a sixteen-year-old boy in an old man’s body that just won’t work. I along with my three brothers and sister would often hold long conversations with him, and Baba was always a big part of the conversation. My mother who was 91 years old couldn’t bear to see him suffering. So we all spoke at length with dad and with his permission, he gave the go ahead for me to contact an Age Care facility, in which I did and was accepted. He had his own room with a bathroom attached, and we placed a TV on the wall and he had a good clean adjustable bed. And constantly we were all there visiting him day and night.
On 16th April 2020, I received a phone call from an Age Care nurse saying; your father asked me to contact you to ask if you could bring him some menthol cough lollies. No problem, I said, I will be there in about an hour. In the meantime, because of the Covid-19 that was rapidly spreading, it prevented us from visiting him in person. There were restrictions placed on visiting which only allowed us to wave to him at his window. Before I dropped off his cough lollies, I had written a letter explaining why we can’t come in; he understood.
In the letter I told him how much we love him and miss him. I gave all our names and added much love in the best appropriate words I could find. As I stood at his window, he was sitting up in bed with a big smile waving at me. I yelled out through the window; I love you dad. I love you too Wayne. Then I gave the lollies to the nurse. Three hours later I received another phone call from the Head Nurse telling me in a solemn voice, I’m sorry Wayne your father just passed. I contacted my brothers and sister and we all met at dad’s door where we were allowed to enter. The Head Nurse told us that dad just finished his dinner, took a cough lolly, laid back and read the letter. Then he placed the letter on his chest and with a big smile he closed his eyes. What a beautiful end, the Grace of Baba. Thank you Swami.
In exactly 2 weeks after my father’s passing, he paid me a visit. I was sitting in my room looking at a large photo of Swami when suddenly dad appeared. As long as I live I will ‘NEVER’ forget his words; OH WAYNE ITS BLOODY BEAUTIFUL OVER HERE. He said this as he looked at me with wonder and amazement written all over his face, and he looked only in his fifties. He had his full health back, and he was very happy.
My Mother
That’s wonderful dad, I love you. And I love you. Then he was gone. But he has constantly visited me and my brothers and sister. They see glimpses of him and feel his loving presence. Mum was living at home on her own, and we were worried for her, then one day she said; Wayne, I would like to go into Age Care like your father did. There, mum said, I would be looked after better than I look after myself here. We all prayed to Baba for His help in finding the perfect facility. After many phone calls trying to get a room, finally one came up which was in the same suburb where mum was living. We all went to check it out making sure it was clean and tidy. It was perfect, a large room with a bathroom attached, large window with beautiful landscaped gardens on the outside and a large TV on the wall. There was everything there to make mum very comfortable and at peace.
My sister Julie and I transported the things that mum wanted with her in the room, especially Baba’s photos and books written on Him. So we began hanging the photos all over the walls, packed away mum’s clothes and then suddenly I had the greatest uplifting feeling. A feeling which is impossible to describe. It was incredible, I can’t explain it, it was totally overwhelming and beautiful beyond words of description. It came from inside of me and rose up where I became very alert. Mum was sitting on her bed, and sister Julie was next to her. I was standing some five metres away near the entrance to the doorway. Outside the room is a long wide hallway with nurses constantly walking passed as well as visitors visiting their loved ones, who had their own room as well.
All at once tears ran streaming down my face, here was Swami smiling as He walked up the hallway towards me. I was so excited and absolutely blown away as he was solid in appearance, as though He was physically there. Yet no one could see Him but me. I stepped back a little, so He could pass. He walked into the room smiling with pleasure as HE checked out mum’s room with satisfaction, then raising His right hand He blessed the room. I was standing there with my mouth wide open and still tears running wildly, tears of bliss. Oh, the beauty in seeing Swami. Swami turned, looked at me smiling as He walked out. I couldn’t speak, I was dumbfounded, what GRACE from the Lord Himself. My sister saw my face and with concern asked what’s wrong, what’s wrong Wayne. Quickly so no one could see my tearful expression, I went straight into the wall cupboard so to hide from everyone until I got my balance back. This was so overwhelming it took me by great surprise as you could only imagine, to see God, the Almighty Lord come Himself to bless mum’s room. What wonder, what Grace.
Finally, I exited the cupboard to see mum and sister with worried looks. Then I told them both who it was that just came to bless the room. Mum I said, you have no worries whatsoever, the Lord Himself has blessed your room. What Grace mum you have been given, all of us. How fortunate we are. In the meantime, when I got home, dad paid me another visit. I was looking at him who seemed to be standing in the other world roughly 10 metres away; he kept looking to his right as though someone or something was distracting him. Dad I asked, what’s wrong, why do you keep looking to your right. He answered with; they keep asking me to go with them, so they can show me some of the wonders and incredible things that will astound me. The sights that’s over here they say. Mountains, oceans, life forms that are just so amazing, and it goes on without end.
But I keep telling them I am not going anywhere until my wife is with me, I want to witness these things with her, together. And dad never left mum’s side until she passed.
In the late stages just before mum passed she began to forget who her children were and it did affect us. But we understood because the doctor told us that mum was beginning to get Dementia. But one name she NEVER forgot, BABA. Even when sitting beside her she would get my name mixed up with some other, then I would say Mum, do you remember Sathya Sai Baba, then her face would light up with the biggest smile and she would say out loud, OH BABA I LOVE YOU.
The last week before her passing she closed her eyes and went into a coma like sleep. Her breathing got a little hectic at times, stopped then regained it rhythm. I visited mum on the 15th of December 2021 and still mum was in a deep sleep. I caressed and kissed her face many times while holding her hand and saying softly in her ear, we all love you, mum, dad is near waiting for you and you. Go mum take dad’s hand knowing we are all safe here. I sat there for an hour then gave mum my goodbyes, saying I will come back tomorrow. On my way out my younger brother entered, and he went and sat beside mum. 15 minutes later my brother told me, mum passed. Now mum and dad pay brief visits. Mum and dad when alive on earth were ALWAYS very loving and protective of us all. And now over there, they are still loving and protective. There is much more I could tell, but to give it all it would have to be in book form.
So I say this; love God with all your heart because there is nothing but God. He is everything. How fortunate we are to know of Swami … Sathya Sai Baba.
Swami, I love you; I thank you, and I surrender wholly and fully unto YOU my master.
OMSAIRAM
