HEROINES OF THE PATH

The first week when I was Baba's guest at the Center, in '52, He stirred up many vivid dreams in my head every night, then He made me tell Him each one the next day in front of the women. One night I had an amazing dream of Kitty dressed in a nun's habit, with sparkling dark eyes. Somehow I knew she was St. Theresa d'Avila. I asked her how we should proceed on the Path, especially, should we join a spiritual order or go it alone? She said, "That is a question that can only be answered when Baba comes again." And there was Baba coming up the stairs with His illimitable smile!

I woke up and looked out the window and saw Baba looking at me with the exact same smile. When I related the dream to Him, I left out the part about Kitty being Theresa — I was too shy but it was interesting that Baba, looking into my eyes, spelled out immediately on His alphabet board, "My four favorite saints are St. Theresa, St. Catherine, St. Francis and St. Augustine." For me, He authenticated that Kitty was the St. Theresa type. Baba called her "Saroja", meaning Lotus; the Saroja Library at the Center is named for her.

Coming from a typical upper-class English family (Kitty was presented at Court, white feather headdress and all), she was a member of the Anglican church, and, as she relates in her autobiography, devoted to Jesus. She had read the lives of the Christian mystics. Though she had surrendered her life to Baba as her living Master, in the beginning she did not identify Him as the Christ until, perhaps, one very rainy Easter morning in North India. Baba usually gave her permission to go to church on such a holiday. But as the rain poured down, and she gazed at Baba, she suddenly realized, He *is* the Christ. There was no need to go to Church to find Him.

In 1952, Kitty assumed she would return to India with Baba, but He asked her to stay in America and help Elizabeth with the running of the Center. I am sure when He came again in '56 and '58 she longed to hear Baba say she would return with Him, but such was not His will. She was too valuable for His work in this country. In a sense, she took Norina's place at Elizabeth's right hand — in fact, Baba used to cable to "Elikit." Not only her gift for managing everyday details (who can forget Kitty barreling around the Center in her golf cart, checking out the cabins?), but her warm personality, her intuitive way of dealing with people and their problems, was a great addition to the charm of the Center. By the '60's great numbers of people were visiting the Center — with the '60's problems! Kitty gave — and she still does at 92 — unsparingly of her time and caring.

For example, you have waited outside on the porch of Elizabeth's house so long . . . Finally the screen door to her office opens, out pops Kitty, her head wreathed in grey braids. "Are you a book or a problem?" she asks. (It is through Kitty you order books at the Center). You are scheduled for a half-hour visit. In between your "sobs and throbs" as it were, the telephone rings, someone pops in with a message, the cook asks for directions, Beauty (a very misnamed dog) needs attention . . . no matter, those deep brown caring eyes (so like Baba's at times) have looked within you, seen what you need and you come away with the cheer and reinforcement you need. The "pretty brunette" Kensington music teacher is now "teaching" new souls how to follow Baba, by a loving word, a thoughtful kindness, but most of all by the example of her lifetime surrender to the Master.

Every year she travels to India, her spiritual home, and also visits the Baba Centers here in the U.S. and Canada, sharing generously her memories of life with the Avatar.

P.S. My most precious memory of Kitty? At the sahavas in California, at Pilgrim Pines: she was on stage, ready to read her talk to us, when Baba "appeared" by her chair, and placed His hand on her head. Just so, we began our sahavas, keeping company with the Lord.