Baba called this day, February 12, 1952, his "first real birthday," the beginning of the period called "Life," and he sent the following message by cable and otherwise to all his devotees:

"God's blessings and my love to you all on this, my first real birthday."

During the following two months, preparations were being made for the visit to the U.S. and on April 18th, Baba with twelve of his group of men and women disciples, both Eastern and Western, left Bombay by air and arrived in New York early in the morning of Sunday, April 20th. Baba and his party were met at the Idlewild airport by Elizabeth Patterson and others. That same night we left by train for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to stay at the beautiful Centre-on-the-Lakes, built and prepared by Elizabeth, with Norina Matchabelli's help, solely for the Master's long-awaited visit and work. There, in the enchanting environment of the Centre we spent an unforgettable month with Baba, before leaving for California. Baba spent over four months in the United States, and while motoring out to California, suffered a serious motor accident near Prague, in Oklahoma.

Before motoring to the coast, Baba gave, on two occasions at the Centre, what in the East would be called "darshan," to his many devotees in America. And again, in spite of the July heat and the suffering and discomfort of having his leg in a cast, Baba, for three days at Ivy Duce's apartment in New York, saw many who had been unable to come to the Centre in South Carolina.

I did not return with Baba to India. When Baba left New York by plane at the end of July, I accompanied him only as far as England where he spent six days, before proceeding with the party to the next stop—Switzerland. From England he sent me back to New York via Canada to remain with Elizabeth and Norina at Myrtle Beach until he sent for me.

This has ended for the time being, my life with Baba in India.

In Conclusion

To sum up: what did Baba teach us, or rather, what did we learn?

Living from day to day during the fifteen years of our stay in Meherabad ashram under the constant, penetrating and supreme eye of Baba, observing him at work and sharing from time to time in his outward activities, you see how Baba's work and aims are intensely practical, as Baba defines that word.

Says Baba: "It is not practical to have spiritual ideals without putting them into practice. To realize the ideal in daily life, to give beautiful and adequate form to the living spirit, this is being practical in the truest sense of the word."

For us to realize our spiritual ideal in a practical way was and is to try and serve Baba through love. The failures and difficulties we encountered on the way were, in some measure, due to ignorance and lack of understanding of how Baba wanted that love and service to be expressed.

We had to learn, step by step, that in self-control and obedience through