A Thousand Faces of One

Ananya was thirty-eight and exhausted. Living in a big city like Bengaluru made her feel like a tiny ant in a giant machine. After her mother passed away, she felt a heavy silence in her heart. She prayed, but it felt like talking to a wall. She felt completely alone.

One rainy evening, Ananya stood at a crowded bus stop. She was stressed about a work deadline and her wet clothes. She felt like crying.

Next to her sat an old woman selling jasmine flowers. The woman had deep wrinkles and kind, sparkly eyes. She reached out and handed Ananya a small string of flowers.

"Why are you so sad, bitiya?" the old woman asked softly. "He is standing right here with you, holding the umbrella over your soul."

Ananya looked around. "There is no one here but us," she sighed.
The old woman smiled. "If you only look for Bhagwan ji in a temple, you will miss Him in the street. He is the wind that just cooled your face. He is the stranger who will say 'Good morning' even if it’s dark outside. He changes His clothes every day just to see if you will recognize Him."
Just then, the bus arrived. Ananya climbed on, but when she looked back, the flower seller was gone. Only the sweet smell of jasmine remained.

On the bus, a young boy sitting across from her suddenly looked up and smiled. "Good morning!" he said brightly.
Ananya startled. It was nighttime. "It’s night, beta," she said.

The boy just chuckled and pointed to the window. "A new light is coming for you."
Ananya felt a sudden warmth in her chest. She realized the old woman was right. Bhagwan ji wasn't hiding in the clouds; He was hiding in the people around her. He was the dog that wagged its tail at her gate. He was the friend who called just when she felt lonely. He was the breeze that ruffled her hair.

When Ananya stepped off the bus, she saw a shivering puppy under a car. Instead of walking past, she knelt in the mud and petted it.

"I see You," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears of joy. "Thank you for coming to meet me today."

From that day on, Ananya was never lonely. She was kind to everyone she met—the guard, the driver, the stranger—because she finally understood: any one of them could be Bhagwan ji, coming by just to ask, "How are you?"