IF HE WANTED TO BE FUNNY

 
Keeping silence all those years was most difficult for Baba. Baba's nature was happy and cheerful. He loved to talk and to laugh and to sing, but after silence Baba could not say anything. He had to spell everything out on the alphabet board. Baba had a very fine sense of humour, but if He wanted to be funny or to tease someone He would have to point to the letters on the board. And by the time He had finished saying it, half the fun was lost.

Then Baba gave up even the alphabet board, and with great patience He would have to repeat again and again, through gestures, what He wanted to convey. And Baba's nature was to do everything quickly.

Baba loved to laugh, but even that sound He denied Himself and held back. All those years Baba had to hold back and not say what He wanted to say. Every second of the day, every minute, every day, every month, every year for forty-four years Baba could not say what He wanted to say.