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Judith answered succinctly: "That's no ordinary hug."
The interview had ended. The cameras had stopped rolling,
Mother had stood up, and proceeded-as is usual with Her-to
hug anyone within reach. That turned out to be virtually everyone
in the studio: producers, studio crew, reporters, representatives
from the publishing company and timekeepers.
Before all this, Amma had been giving darshan outside the
Rockefeller Center, the open plaza where the Today Show cameras
outside the studio provide special moments during the popular
TV news program. People surround the shooting area, and hold
placards with their names or hometowns or favourite causes
emblazoned on them, hoping the TV cameras might turn from
the main event and zoom in on them, sending their images out
to the world. On this day, one placard read, "Amma, We
Love You!"
It was Tuesday morning, the 10th of July. Near the onlookers
was something rather unusual: a small woman in white, seated
on a chair and hugging people. Some of the bystanders moved
over closer to see what this strange behaviour was all about.
"Who is She?" asked a Brooklyn accent near the
crowd-restraining barricades. "They call her the "Hugging
Saint," answered one of the people just inside. "Come
on-get a hug!"
Children, old people, men, women, and one lucky dog in the
arms of his owner approached Amma there at one of the busiest
crossroads of America, and She did as She always does everywhere
around the world: She smiled into their eyes, held them close,
murmured "Darling Daughter" or "Son, son,"
and stroked their backs-well, in the case of the dog She patted
his head and kissed him!
The Today Show, one of the most widely watched daily news
programs in America, is known for being on the cutting edge,
introducing new ideas, new writings and new people, to the
general American public. For millions of people across the
nation, this morning's show would have been their first glimpse
of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi. Curiosity aroused, they would
have learned more a few minutes later when She and the author
of the new biography were interviewed on the air.
From Judith Cornell's answer to a question about her original
scepticism about Amma, they would have learned how convincing
Judith found the simple fact that year after year, day after
day, and hour after hour, Mother keeps on hugging. Tens of
thousands of people. Tirelessly. All over the world. They
would have heard reference to Mother's charitable activities
like pensions for widows, homes for the homeless, orphanages
and hospitals.
When the questioner turned to ask Mother what She had seen
and understood about the nature of what's happening in America,
and the needs in this country for the kind of compassion that
She is teaching, the viewers would have heard Her answer (translated
by Swami Amritaswarupananda): "All over the world, people
have an intense longing to experience pure love. They are
in search of that, but they are not getting it. Each one is
becoming an object in the other person's hand."
To open up their hearts, Amma goes all over the world, hugging.
To judge by what people receiving those hugs say-people like
the woman who asked "Why am I crying?"-one would
have to conclude that She is having-to say the least-some
success. As Cornell put it when asked about miracles attributed
to Amma: "The greatest miracle is Her Love and compassion
to millions around the world."
That Love, that compassion, comes through no ordinary hug.
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