What is the difference between earning respect and demanding it? Your position carries enough respect but you may not deserve it for you do not even observe protocol. The world reluctantly gives you that but given a chance they will be willing to usurp you from your pedestal.
The Presidents son gets it, the crown prince gets it, the pundits child gets it, the thespians kid gets it but in most of the cases they seem to be unfit children of such great personas and unworthy of any respect. They behave like perfect brats.
You sometimes wonder how come such nasty children were born of such illustrious parent! Forget the children, you sometimes even are aghast at their spouses behavior.
There is a great painter whose paintings are weighed in gold but his wife who works on the pricing modalities is the biggest insurmountable villain around him. Similarly the wife of a very generous and friendly actor in Bollywood. In both the above cases, the lead players are gem of a person but their supporting star cast is terrible. Why are these two so protective and vicious, you may wonder! They are so by virtue of being closest to the great souls by relationship.
In great ashrams too, the dearest disciples who handle the personal calendar are sometimes the biggest obstacles to overcome when you have to meet the sage. It’s frustrating to get over these so called office bearers who think of themselves as the great mans protection brigade. Even the great man is indulgent of these nincompoops! He allows these goodfornothing trouble makers the proximity of his being. These jerks do not deserve to be close to the great man, but then God has given them that position and you have no choice but to accept it.
In my recent visit to Chandi Mantralayam at Kamareddy in North Andhra, I was so much lovingly received by the Mother there. She can be termed that since she behaved very much like a true Mother catering to every wishes of the lot around the Sage! Her benevolence was palpable and Her love oozed out from every pore of Her being. You couldn’t help falling in love with Her mothering skills.
On the other hand, the coterie around some of the current Babas and crooked Swamis need to be stoned. They form a protective barrier and do not allow any disciple access to the great man.
To be in the proximity of the Great man is God given boon but flouting that position is very bad. These are public figures but shielding them to the extent of making them jail birds is a terrible crime. Even if you are born by birth as the kith and kin, do not misuse the facility and become over imposing walls around that great person. Such being the case, earn that position and respect the dignity that comes with it. Be the good tool around them not a hindrance.
Lastly, the respect which you should give to the privacy of these famed personas is valid so kindly do not disturb that. But when you come across the evil overbearing coterie don’t observe protocol, just barge in!
