Shelter from the Storm

'T was in another lifetime, one of toil and blood

When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud

I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form

"Come in," God said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm"

And if I pass this way again, you can rest assured

I'll always do my best for Him, on that I give my word

In a world of steel-eyed death, and men who are fighting to be warm

"Come in," Baba said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm"

Not a word was spoke between us, there was little risk involved

Everything up to that point had been left unresolved

Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm

"Come in," Amma said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm"

I was burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail

Poisoned in the bushes an' blown out on the trail

Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn

"Come in," Mahavir said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm"

Suddenly I turned around and he was standin' there

With silver bracelets on his wrists and flowers in his hair

He walked up to me so gracefully and took His crown of thorns

"Come in," Jesus said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm"

Now there's a wall between us, somethin' there's been lost

I took too much for granted, got my signals crossed

Just to think that it all began on a long-forgotten morn

"Come in," Shiva said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm"

Well, the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount

But nothing really matters much, it's doom alone that counts

And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn

"Come in," Buddha said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm"

I've heard newborn babies wailin' like a mournin' dove

And old men with broken teeth stranded without love

Do I understand your question, man, is it hopeless and forlorn?

"Come in," Krishna said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm"

In a little hilltop village, they gambled for my clothes

I bargained for salvation an' they gave me a lethal dose

I offered up my innocence and got repaid with scorn

"Come in," They said, "We'll give you shelter from the storm"

Well, I'm livin' in a foreign country but I'm bound to cross the line

Beauty walks a razor's edge, someday I'll make it mine

If I could only turn back the clock to when God and They were born

"Come in," the Lord said, "We'll give you shelter from the storm"

Bob Dylan, modified by Nil

OK, so I modified Bob Dylan's lyrics a little,  but all for the better.  But the point is clear, God and your guardians, whoever they may be, will always give you shelter from the storm. But yet, many of us rather remain in the storm and go into the shelter.

More than 10 years ago, my mom passed away in her sleep of a massive heart attack. I had spoken to her the afternoon before and she had just returned from seeing a doctor for severe abdominal pains which the doctor put as stomach ache and gas and duly provided her medicine for that. My mom was never a heart patient but she was a diabetic and any half baked doctor with a half baked degree would have considered to check for any heart issues, but none did.

My mom was very pious, meditating and praying every morning for two hours and most evening for another 2 hours. She exercised, she ate well, she loved all her children to all her might.

So when she died suddenly, I blamed the doctor and I blamed God to some extent. I accepted her death but after that, things with me and God were not quite the same. When my mom was around, I would make it a habit to pray in the morning and especially when I travelled somewhere. I prayed most evenings prior to going to bed. All that stopped.

Despite all this sorrow and anguish that I had for this imperfect world, God never abandoned me, my guardian always waited in the wings.

You see, in all likelihood, my rock solid foundation was mom and when she died, I did not have any foundation anymore. At least, I felt I did not have that rock solid foundation to withstand "the rain that came down, the streams that rose, and the winds that blew."

But my foundation that I have built now is rock solid, the solid center in my life .... Love God with all my heart.

With this solid center, I expect to have a solid life because without a solid core, my life will surely break apart as it has before.

I have put God first in everything I do and I have faith that he will direct me and crown my efforts with success.

Apart from a strong foundation that I have and continue to build now with God and my guardian, another primary practice for securing my foundation is having a community that cares, a human support system.

For a long time, I lacked a human support system. Wife is always there to support. But I needed a team of people around me who loved me for who I was and not what I did or how much I earned or how many times I spent on them. I needed friends who would walk into my life when everyone else walks out.

Real friends will rush in during an earthquake and catch you when times get tough. Acquaintances will be there always and while you may consider them friends, they will take off as soon as the tremors begin and leave you standing alone in the rubble.

I have nearly 500 "friends" on FacebookFacebook.

But in reality, out of these 1,000 or so, I think maybe 10 or 20 will be walking in to save me. And I am truly grateful for these 20 or so individuals. S, K, S, M, B, S, Y, P, Y, B, H, S, .... 12 and counting. And I will surely walk into their lives when other's are leaving.

Two are better than one, if one falls down, the other can help you up. Pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.

Today's blog and journey comes at a really appropriate moment for me because of the earthquake and storm I am going through in my life.  But I am glad now I have the information that I require, which is that I have a shelter from the storm.

Come in and I'll give you shelter from the storm and surely God has.

Many a times in the past, I will try to solve all my problems and only at a last resort when all things fail, I used to pray and when prayers are not answered, I could blame God.

But that formula was backward; now in the current storm I am facing, my first response was seek God's and my guardian's advice.

When I know I start worrying, I know God been pushed out of 1st place. So, to stop worrying, stop more grey hairs in my head, stop my palpitations, stop my anger and frustration, stop my vertigo ... God is first.

After all, He says he will give me shelter from the storm, so why stay out in the storm and expose myself to all the negative elements above and shake my strong foundation that I have built.

I'm coming in cause I know You'll give me shelter from the storm. I'm coming in. The storm has got me a little drenched but I'm coming in and in the shelter I will dry up and recuperate to go back out when the storm is settled.

There are no magic buttons or instant solutions, but I am going into the shelter and I know He is going to hold me and He is going to walk me through to solid ground and He will be with me when the earth shakes and most of all He is with me when all is well.

God and my guardian has already given me His greatest gift, He knows the challenges I face, He understands how I feel, He cries with me in my heartaches and He has the power to turn this life of mine around.


Come in, He'll give you shelter from the storm.

Take care and be well.