Short story. "It would take a miracle."

Amita was overjoyed to find that her old acquaintance Charusheela from many years ago had moved to her village. The two had studied together in school but after graduation, their paths had separated. Now Charusheela was here.

Charusheela also was very excited to find Amita after so long a time. She invited Amita for lunch and the two sat and talked for hours. Catching up on each other's journey. It was wonderful. Both felt they had found friendship all over again.

They began going here and there. Shopping, taking a dip in the springs on a hot afternoon, going back and forth to each other's homes, attending programs in the community, even traveling together to attend special weekend events. Charusheela didn't mind doing the driving or paying for the gas. She was happy to be able to offer that as service for her friend.

One day Charusheela shared with Amita that she was studying and taking spiritual guidance from Srila Girik das a teacher in Krishna consciousness. Amita was very familiar with Krishna consciousness having studied in the past under several spiritual teachers so she was curious to see the teacher of her friend.

Charusheela arranged for Amita to view a recorded session. At first, Amita was attracted but as she watched more and more her face developed a scowl. She left to go home without saying anything. A few days later Amita asked to view another recorded session of Srila Girik das giving his class. Again Amita began to frown and her lip turning up in a kind of disgust. She told Charusheela that this teacher was not a qualified spiritual teacher. That she herself had made it her life's mission to expose rascals and cheaters and Srila Girik das was a cheater.

Charusheela was unhappy to hear this because she did not at all consider Srila Girik das a cheater. She had been taking guidance from him for five years and he had helped her immensely. Always gave good counsel and set the example himself of always keeping the highest standard of devotion to God.

Amita never said why she thought Srila Girik das was a cheater. Didn't give any specific reason or point out any wrongdoings of Srila Girik das. It seemed Amita based her conclusion solely on a mysterious spiritual power only she had to discern who was a cheater and who was not and Charusheela would just have to accept that.

Amita tuned to Charusheela while they were washing the dishes puffing her small body up to try to look big and said, "I'm better than he is!"

This was a very strange turn of events for Charusheela. Things were becoming bizarre. Her friend Amita was changing in so many ways. The friendly companion had become a menacing threat to Charusheela's peace of mind in her surrender to her guru. Amita had nothing to offer in place of Charusheela's guru except "herself?" Very strange behavior indeed. But it got worse. Much worse.

Charusheela had introduced a mutual friend Kusumina to Srila Girik das and Kusumina had immediately requested to become his student stating this is exactly what she had been praying for.

Amita became doubly irate. Not only was Chaursheela a student but now also Kusumina. Amita had been thinking to travel with Kusumina later in the year. Now, this was ruined. And also just keeping an amicable friendship with Chaursheela was impossible. Amita's feelings were very intense about rejecting this guru.

Charusheela was heart-broken and kept trying to hold on to the hope that Amita would calm down and be able to appreciate the guru. Charusheela tolerated many instances of Amita speaking harshly and saying sometimes very vile things that were not at all true. Nasty things about Srila Girik das, his students and finally even about Charusheela herself right to her face. Charusheela kept hoping against hope that Amita would calm down and change her opinion.

But finally, Charusheela had to stop trying to make it work and cut off communication with Amita. She had to admit, " It would take a miracle. "

But Charusheela always left room for miracles.