Mona's Kiss

I have told some friends about this extraordinary experience and thought I had written about it but now see that I had not.

It was a day when I brought Dakshina to meet Mona upstairs at their home on Balcony Street. Mona was sitting at her small desk and greeted us both with a great smile of love. She then began by asking Dakshina to tell her (Mona) her Christian name. Dakshina replied, 'My name is Dakshina'. This began a repartee that I much enjoyed for neither would give in, both being unshakeable people, and finally Mona gave up trying because Dakshina would not budge from her position.

We talked for some time in Mona's vibrant atmosphere and then we prepared to leave. As we got up and Dakshina said au revoir, Mona asked me softly to stay behind. When Dakshina left Mona asked me about Savitri and said she had been reading it. We talked for a while about a number of other things and then, suddenly, without saying anything, Mona grabbed my head in both of her hands. She was a very strong woman as we have seen on many occasions. Then, to my surprise, she kissed me on the lips, a full and long kiss, the first I had ever experienced from a 92 year old! It was a special kiss but I didn't know at that time, its meaning. I left with her presence surrounding me palpably.

On the day I returned to the Ashram in October someone came to meet me and asked me to come to Udar's house and help carry Mona down to the van. She had passed away as I was in flight on my way to the Ashram. I carried her with other Ashram men down the stairs and into the van and rode with her to the burial ground where she was interred next to Udar.

Then I understood. The kiss was her loving farewell to me and as long as I am in this body I shall remember the love she showered upon me and the deep connection we had in Mother.