The kind and compassionate doctor

That night I did not have a wink of sleep. I did not have even one minute’s rest. I was extremely tired, but I was so happy to remain awake so that I could go and see my sister and we could have a good talk. I had promised her that I would be there at eight o’clock. The next morning finally arrived. Exactly at eight, I presented myself at the nursing home. I was so eager to see my sister.

One of the nurses said to me, “What are you doing here?”

I said, “I was told to come at eight o’clock.”

The nurse said, “No, the visiting hours are between four and seven in the afternoon.”

I said, “Last night they told me to come back at eight o’clock.”

She would not allow me to see my sister. Then I said, “All right, let me see what I can do.” I sat on a chair in the hallway for about ten minutes. “O God, is this to be my fate?” I thought.

All of a sudden, a lady wearing a sari appeared and said, “Ah, Chinmoy-da, what are you doing? Why are you here? I am Doctor Salila. What are you doing here? You did not go to see your sister today?”

I said, “I am not allowed. Last night I came at five minutes to ten. At first they did not allow me. Finally, with greatest difficulty, they allowed me. Then they told me to come at eight o’clock, but now I cannot go to see her.”

The doctor said, “You go and tell them that I am the doctor. Any time you want to come, you can come, and as long as you want to stay, you can stay. I am giving you permission.”

I said, “The nurses will not believe me.” Then Dr. Salila called one nurse and introduced me, “This is Chinmoy-da. Any time he wants to come, he can come here, and he can stay as long as he wants to.”

She is one of the main doctors. There are two doctors: Dr. Datta, who is from Calcutta, and Dr. Salila. Both of them are extremely, extremely, extremely kind to me.