The Banging of the Clock
We live in California and by the grace of Sri Sathya Sai Baba we have visited him twice, in India. The first time was at Puttaparthi, a little over a year ago. The next time was in Bombay [Mumbai], when we attended the “World Conference of Sathya Sai Organizations.” It was at this conference that we were shown (by another delegate from California, a photographer himself) an outstanding picture of Swami, where the picture of a clock, a clock marking spiritual progress, had miraculously appeared on Swami’s gown, when the camera was clicked. He was then standing facing such a clock, but who could have imagined that it would appear on the gown He was wearing?
We very much wanted one like it, but could not get one in India. We thought Lee Halpersam had taken the photograph and we decided to ask Lee if he could make a print for us. We saw him several times; each time we went to ask him, we were interrupted, and so we gave up the idea of asking him.
Next to my bedroom we have a library, and on the wall we have an electric clock. About two months ago one night the clock started banging against the wall.
I got out of bed and stood looking at it. It kept up the noise. I thought the best thing to do was to disconnect it, but it would require moving a heavy Chinese chest. So I went back to bed; that moment the noise ceased! I thought we could get the clock cared for in the morning. My husband had not heard the noise.
The next night, too, when I went to bed, the clock started banging against the wall! I went in and pulled the chest away from the connection. As I looked down between the chest and the connection, I saw a small object, like a luminous watch, with hands on it. It was the picture we wanted so much, Sri Sathya Sai Baba with the spiritual watch!
What a thrill it was for us to know that God came into our house to give us our heart’s desire! And where else would He put it but under the clock?
And how wonderful, He drew our attention to His gift by the banging of the metal clock on the wall!
~Elsie Cowans
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, March 1969
