By Mary Meyers
I grew up in a chaotic, unhappy home. Alcoholism, divorce, debts—it was no wonder I felt alone and unloved. My one comfort was my sweet pet parakeet. When he died, I cried alone in my room for a long time. I was only nine years old.
As I wept for the loss of my little friend, a man in a red robe appeared beside me. I was surprised, but his presence was comforting. He gently put his arm around my shoulder, and I felt a wave of divine love flow through me.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “Things will get better.” Then he disappeared.
Questions raced through my mind: Who was he? How did he get here? Where did he go? There was no one to ask. But his visit made me feel better.
By the time I was sixteen, troubles had grown worse. I couldn’t keep my grades up, my boyfriend left me for a prettier classmate, and chaos ruled at home.
One night, during another terrible argument, I ran out into the street. I looked up at the full moon shining in the dark sky and begged for help.
“Oh God, please help me!” I cried.
Suddenly, the moon’s bright light appeared to zoom toward me, forming the face of the same man who helped me when my pet parakeet had died.
He smiled gently, and I again heard his words within me: Don’t worry. Things will get better. Then the light zoomed back into the moon.
My mind raced again. Who was he? How did he do that? I wondered whether I was crazy. But the experience wasn’t frightening. It comforted me.
Life improved for a while before troubles began again. After graduating from high school, I went on a thirty-year merry-go-round of challenges including rocky marriages, miscarriages, and messy divorces.
Coupled with an unhappy career and money problems, eventually I found myself wondering about the purpose of existence. Why was I here? What good had I done? At one point, I even considered taking my own life.
Then I remembered the strange man and his words. There was more to life than what I understood. Somehow, I managed to keep moving ahead one day at a time.
One summer, I went to a party, where I met a lovely couple. We sat on lawn chairs and talked for several hours about life and spirituality. As we parted, they told me about a spiritual discussion class and asked if I’d like to come. I accepted.
The class was at an ECK Center. When I walked in, I noticed there were portraits on the wall. I stopped in amazement. There was the picture of the man who comforted and encouraged me in my darkest hours!
“Who is that?” I asked, pointing at his portrait.
“That’s Yaubl Sacabi,” someone responded. “He’s one of the many wonderful ECK Masters who can help on our journey home to God.”
The class began. I learned we are Soul and exist because God loves us. We’re here on earth to learn more about giving and receiving divine love. Although we’re all at different stages of spiritual unfoldment, each of us is destined to eventually become a Coworker with God in this or another lifetime.
After the class. I understood why I went through so many troubles. Life isn’t a burden or a curse. I was on a journey to learn more about myself as Soul. All my experiences were simply an opportunity to learn more about the spiritual laws of life and divine love. And in my darkest hours, I’d even been helped by an ECK Master.
Now I know that life is, and always will be, a wonderful, spiritual adventure!