In late 2019, I was to get engaged to my date for the past couple of years. I had begun planning the event nearly two months before and had coordinated among families, friends, and vendors to ensure the proposal came as a surprise and went off smoothly. Many people were flying in for the event. However, during the day of the proposal, some last-minute hiccups almost ruined the day.
The first obstacle came on the road. We were ostensibly driving out to attend a friend's birthday party—this is how I connived to take my date out to the proposal venue—when the car beeped a loud warning. There was something wrong with the tyre. I had driven this car regularly and had never had any issue, so it was surprising. I called my dad, and he advised that I go to a gas station. However, the first few gas stations we went to were closed or didn't know how to help. I then prayed to Guruji as I had no other alternative means of getting to the venue.
Thanks to His grace, I was able to find a tyre shop on the next block, and the issue was resolved in less than five minutes. It was a minor repair and we were on our way. Little did we know that our adventure had just begun.
Farther ahead, we found out that the main highway that led to the venue (in a semi-rural area) had closed because an oil truck had crashed and spilled fluid over the road. Again, I did not know what to do. I pretended this was no setback: We were just going to a friend's birthday party, so reaching late or even missing the event would not be a big deal.
Meanwhile, some guests had made it to their first stop on way to the venue. I frantically texted my family and friends, and we came up with a new plan on the spot. The proposal venue was accessible through another rural road that would add about an hour to our driving time. With Guruji's grace, my family and friends were able to re-plan the day's itinerary and reorganize lunch and supplies. We both made it to the venue.
When I proposed, everything went off perfectly—and now we have a great story to tell about the craziness of that morning!
Things moved on and we planned our wedding for late 2020. However, Covid-19 made travel impossible, and our wedding function was postponed. Still we decided to get legally married in early 2020. At the time, we did not even think this would be our main wedding, but thanks to His grace and foresight, we could be married in law before the government courts closed down. This was vital as it allowed us to begin our immigration process. We could even have proper mini-celebrations—photographs and a memorable dinner with family and friends—before everything shut down. Finally, it gave our parents peace of mind that we married quickly instead of remaining engaged for months or years. We did not know it at the time, but by allowing us to get legally married, Guruji saved us from future delays and anxieties.
A devotee
December 2020