TEARS LIKE PEARLS

 
God is absolutely honest with each real lover. His Love-Call is issued to all, but only a few hear and respond to His Call. Why? For the simple reason that only a few of us can be wholeheartedly genuine — sincere — in wholly dedicating and committing our selves to the attainment of this I AM GOD state — Union with the real Beloved.

When Baba listened to the Qawalis (Baba was a perennial fan of these spiritual love songs) He used to tell the Mandali "Oh, if you could only comprehend the real depth of these words." I fondly recall how Baba would gather His Mandali in His living room, usually in the morning, and crank up the ancient gramophone to spin the old 78 r.p.m's. And Baba would be drumming with His fingers on the rim of an ordinary metal water basin; His fingernail flipping accompaniment was extraordinary and unique. After hearing a verse or two He'd signal to stop the music. Then He'd gesture the real meaning behind the verse instructing the Mandali how they, His real lovers, should continue to parallel the conduct of the lover in the Qawali.

These love songs would say, "Beware you who want to become a lover of God — if you only knew what you were letting yourself in for. Don’t cry out for this Wine, because once you do, your life will become nothing but turmoil." Now, remember, this Wine that we get doesn't deteriorate us, it integrates us more and more. It strengthens us, makes us more firm and dedicated and gives us power and forbearance. Above all, there's that tremendous sense of integration — completeness.

As real lovers we've set ourselves on an uncharted sea and no one's at the helm but one Captain and that's God — Meher Baba. Let Him also be the Compass pointing in Realization's direction, for He is the only Way and the only Goal. Now God's Love is something that grows gradually in us. It builds up slowly and then one day, when we least expect it, it'll take hold, and it's going to scorch us inside. That longing and that yearning will sear the inside of us from head to foot. Then all we'll want is Union with this real Beloved, and we'll know that nothing has meaning in life except the winning and harbouring of His Love.

But remember, the whole of this beautiful experience happens inside of us. When Love really enters the lover it seals his lips. He talks to no one about it. There's a smile on his face, but the tears are there inside. To the one who really loves, to the one who cries for God, there comes a moistening of the eye-balls. And those tears are like pearls — they don't roll down the cheeks. Those that roll down the cheeks are the hot tears of self-pity, but the tears of Love for God are cool and are retained in the eyes.

Birth in this body has been taken by us for solely one reason — to become a real lover of God, who is our real Beloved. And there will be no patience exercised and there'll be nothing tolerated in this world until our quest for Union is fulfilled. When that happens we'll know that the One we've been seeking inside all the time, was simply our Self. In the heart is enacted the drama of lover, Beloved and Love. That is the real Trinity of Existence.

As Hafiz once said, "Lift yourself aside. It is you, Hafiz, that stands between Love and the real Beloved." Then let us remove ourself so this merging can take place. Let's dedicate ourselves to becoming real lovers of Meher Baba, and then Meher Baba will really give to us and exercise within us the Beauty and the Power of His Divine Love.