As part of Swami’s Samadhi Day observance, Toronto East Sai Centre has always done a Centre wide service project where adults and youth make vegetarian pasta or eggless cake and donate the food to a shelter. This year, the devotees wanted SSE students to also do their own service project. Gurus came up with an idea where all the students had to colour brown paper sandwich bags and write an uplifting message on them. The students decorated the bags with creative and colourful artwork.

On May 5, 2018, Group 4 students and youth left their homes at 5:30 am holding a loaf of bread and other sandwich items, purchased with their own money. They made 108+ sandwiches for a shelter.

The following day, the Sai Centre had an eventful Easwaramma Day program. The final act on the program was by Group 4 students. They performed a tribute to their mothers by writing and performing personal poems with background music, while presenting a slideshow of photos of them with their mothers. The students also arranged a slide show tribute to all of the Centre’s elders who serve as role models to the devotees at the Sai Centre. Photos were also taken on the day of as mothers and aunties entered the hall.

The grand finale was a mass padanamaskar session. A young adult did a brief talk on its significance and how to do it properly. Swami’s quotes were also included in the talk. Then, the gurus helped the children and parents to gather in an orderly manner. First, the kids took padanamskaram from their parents and then from other elders. It was an emotional moment for many mothers who had tears streaming from their eyes. As Bhagawan has said,

“Mother and father have their place in the heart of every person. One should not forget mother and father even if one is in great difficulty or upset over something. One who forgets their parents cannot be a human being. How can you exist without your parents? They are the seeds of your life; the very source of your life on earth. Therefore, parents should have prime importance in life. Even if you are old or in great difficulty, make efforts to make your parents happy as far as it is possible for you. Feed them even if you have to resort to begging. Bear all hardships to look after them. Fulfil all their desires. This will result in the fulfilment of your own desires.”

-Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 41, Chapter 6, Easwaramma Day, 6 May 2008.

The students’ display of sincere respect and affection to the elders of the Sai Centre demonstrated the practice of Swami’s teachings. May we continue to heed the words of our Beloved Bhagawan and let Him be the indweller of our Hearts.