Satsang by Al Geist David was a tall, dark haired seventeen year old. The oldest of five children, he played on the high school football team as a wide-receiver, and he made good grades in his honors classes at school. David was proud to have recently gotten his driver's license. Now he was free. He could borrow the car and go to the mall or drive himself and his brothers and sister to school. David's parents were ECKists and they had raised their children in their beliefs - each person is soul, and they are all on a journey back to God. To get there each must learn to give unconditional love to all life. From an early age their children were read the ECK youth discourses, a series of books designed to teach children the principles of ECKANKAR. Recently, an ECK teen Satsang class had been started in the area for high school students and David had signed up to join the class. There were seven other students in the class from around the city. David enjoyed having other kids his age to talk about ECK with. On this particular night David was on his way to the third meeting of his Satsang class. He was driving the car along the interstate when he got a very strong urge to get off at the next exit. David was new to driving and didn't really know his way around the city. He was hesitant to drive into an unknown area, but the nudging persisted. As he saw the exit approaching the turmoil in is stomach got more intense. It was like when he was waiting to take his chemistry exam last year. David didn't know this exit or where it led. He began to argue with himself, "I will be late for my class. I shouldn't turn." By now the urging had turned into a tiny voice in his head saying, "Exit here!" David countered with, "No I will get lost." But at the last possible moment the car seemed to take control of itself and swerved off the interstate onto the exit. The exit merged with Old Hwy 1 and there was no lane getting back onto the interstate. Now David was really worried. He was stuck! With no way back onto the interstate, he had to follow Hwy 1 and hope it led to another way back on. On and on he drove. The neighborhood became more seedy. David became afraid and locked all the doors to the car. He didn't even feel safe stopping to look a map. "What am I going to do? I need a safe place to stop." He said under his breath. But up ahead loomed even more darkness because the street lights had been shot out... David had read in the ECK books where people in trouble had sung HU. He tried. He was so afraid the sound came out quivering. After a couple HUs, no more sound would come out of his mouth. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he was having trouble seeing the road. Blam! The car bucked as it crashed through a large pot hole. David stomped on the brake to slow the car while wiping the tears from his eyes with his sleeve. As he drove slowly along, he thought maybe getting off the interstate was some kind of ECK test. But as he drove further into the darkness totally lost, he began to worry that maybe this was all a trick of Kal, the negative force. And he had been stupid to fall for this trick. The more he thought about it the more it made sense. He was going to a ECK Satsang and with one little nudge the Kal had stopped that from happening and maybe even killed him. From recent stories in the paper, he was driving in the same kind of area where violent crimes were common. Somehow the knowledge of figuring this out made David feel better. His fear was replaced with anger. He now felt he was in a battle - ECK against Kal, good against evil. And he fought on the side of ECK. With resolve he stopped the car. David searched the glove compartment, under the seat, and in the door pockets, but he couldn't find a map of the city. He had come a long way on Hwy 1. It was dark so he couldn't get his bearings on which way was north. Hwy 1 was bigger than any of the side streets. Surely it must lead somewhere. If he could find a store open, then he could ask for directions. He slipped the car back in gear and headed on down the road, singing HU under his breath. The HU felt empty, there were no feelings of peace or closeness to the inner master. His anger began to shift to a new fear. A shiver went up David's back and he felt very alone. A tiny doubt planted deep inside began to grow - maybe ECKANKAR is a hoax. In his time of need the HU did nothing and he felt more alone than ever before in his life, totally abandoned. The inner darkness was even more scary the the outer darkness. David called out aloud, "Mahanta, if you are for real show me! I need your help. Where are you?" Only silence and darkness enveloped him. "I'm totally lost... inside and out", David thought to himself. As David rounded a curve, he noticed a car with its flashers on off the side of the road. It stood out because there were few cars parked anywhere in this neighborhood and the few that were all had signs of vandalism. As he passed, he glanced in the window and saw the driver duck down quickly and hide. It looked like a woman. It didn't feel like a trap. And so what if it was? David felt spiritually and emotionally lost, he had nothing to loose. He pulled over and walked back to the disabled car. He peered in through the window and could see a woman huddled down over something else in the front seat. She didn't move. He tapped on the window. She flinched. He tapped again lightly. The woman turned her head and peeped at the tapper. She noticed he was a young clean-cut boy. She sat up to take a closer look. From his dress and car he was obviously not from this part of town. David saw that she had been covering up her daughter in the front seat. "Are you OK?" David shouted through the drivers window. The woman wide-eyed with fear, shook her head no. "Do you need help?" David shouted in reply. Sensing David's sincerity, she cracked her window open and said, "Yes, could you call a wrecker or police?" David replied, "I'm lost. I don't know were to find a wrecker or phone. What is wrong with your car? Maybe I can fix it." She pointed to the right side of the car with one hand and turned the steering wheel with the other and said, "The steering is broke." David walked around to the right front wheel. It appeared to be pointing at a strange angle. He glanced in the windshield. Four eyes watched his every move. He looked at the other front wheel. Yes they were definitely not pointing in the same direction. He knelt down beside the car and looked underneath. Nothing but darkness. He got a flashlight from his car and tried again. Something was hanging down. He reached up and moved it with his hand for a better view. David walked back around to the driver's window. "The tie rod is broken on the right side of your car." "Can you fix it?", the woman asked hopefully. "No, and neither can a wrecker. Your car will have to be carried to a repair shop and a new part ordered." "We can't stay out here all night." The woman said worriedly. "Can you give us a ride to a phone?" She pleaded as she unlocked her door. "Do you know the way to a phone? I don't know where I am." David replied. "I can show you the way." She said as she gathered up her purse and daughter and climbed out of the car. David eased his car in gear and started down the road. "My name is Robin and my daughter's name is Crystal. You want to go three more blocks and turn left on Elm street." David nodded. "What would have caused that what did you call it thing to break?" She asked. "I have never seen one broken." David replied. "I would guess you would have to hit something very hard with your wheel - a curb or pot hole." "I did hit a really big pot hole about a half a mile back." Robin explains. "My car started driving funny after that, it got worse and worse until I thought I was going to have a wreck so I pulled over to the side of the road. I didn't want to stop. You know those tourists were shot in their car not far from here." All the pent up fear that Robin had felt now seemed to be pouring out as she just kept talking... "You need to turn right at the next street. When my car broke down all I could think about was Crystal. I didn't want anything to happen to my child. I was so scarred. I'm not a very religious person, but I prayed to God for help. Do you believe in God?" Robin asked. David glanced over to her and nodded yes. Robin continued, "I haven't been to church in quite a while. Even growing up my family only attended church on Christmas and Easter. It always seemed like such a strange place - church that is. Life has been good to me. I grew up and just didn't seem to need church or God or stuff like that. Do you go to church?" Robin asked. David glanced back over and shook his head no. "I was afraid for Crystal. I didn't want to try to walk in that neighborhood at night. And I couldn't leave Crystal in the car. I prayed to God to send me some help. I made a lot of promises to him. About things I would do if he got me out of this trouble. God must have sent you to help me and I intend to keep my promises. By the way, how come you were driving around in that neighborhood?" Not looking towards her David simply replied, "I took the wrong exit off the interstate." "Oh to get back to the interstate we should turn left here and take another left onto Lee blvd and just keep driving. There is a service station at the overpass that you can drop us off at and you will be back on the interstate and familiar ground." David made the sharp left turn and continued to listen to Robin talk. "I realized tonight that God really does exist and that he loves us. I'm going to start paying more attention to spiritual matters. I'm going to start going to church and taking Crystal and her Dad also. I'm going to get involved in charities in my community..." Robin droned on. David was thinking to himself. "Why is this woman talking so much about God and having faith and stuff like that?" There were street lights again. Things were looking brighter and safer. After about ten minutes they could see the interstate overpass. There was a 24 hour Shell station on the right. David swung in and cut the motor. He was going to stay till his passengers were safe inside the Qwik Mart. Robin gathered up her things, scooped up Crystal in one arm, and climbed out of the car. "Thank you very much... Gosh I don't even know your name." "David" "You saved my life tonight David." Robin walked around the back of the car. As she got up to the driver's door, David rolled down his window. Their eyes met and there was an intense exchange of unconditional love that made them both feel uncomfortable. The one second seemed like eons. It felt like they had been friends long ago and had met once again to help each other through a difficult time. Now awkward with words, Robin sputters out. "Thank you again David." "You have a safe trip home Robin... You too Crystal." David replied as he waved to Crystal looking back over her mother's shoulder. Crystal just smiled at her name and waved bye-bye to David. David looked at his watch. Too late to go to the Satsang class now. He pulled onto the interstate heading towards home. His mind was full of questions. Just what happened tonight? The fear, the loneliness, the abandonment by the ECK, meeting this woman who says "God sent you to find me." Who is this God? Why wasn't God there when David called out? Maybe he believed in the wrong God. So many questions... The car sped on. David began to feel calmer. He hadn't realized how tense he had been until now. He relaxed and a quiet humming enveloped him. He had heard this sound many times before during his spiritual exercises. He put his attention on the sound, and seemed to be drawn into it. He began to review the evening from a different perspective. He saw the ECK at work placing him into a situation where he could help another soul crying for help. He saw how his own fear was set aside while he was busy helping Robin. One thought still bothered David. He rolled it over and over in his attention. Why did the ECK leave me? Especially when I was in such a dangerous place. Through the humming David thought he heard a quiet voice say, "There was no danger. Did you see a single person other than Robin and Crystal the whole time you were off the interstate?" "Well no, now that you mention it," David thought to himself. "The real danger is the fear we carry inside ourselves. Intense fear or anger blocks out our perception of the ECK, but It is still there pouring Its love upon us. You were put in a situation where you could face your fear. We all must learn to master our fear. This is our real enemy not Kal, not other souls. As love fills our hearts, fear and anger are washed away. This is the secret of mastery." David pulled into the driveway. As he climbed the stairs to his bedroom, his mother called out, "How was your Satsang Class?" David stopped and thought for a moment. He replied, "I learned a lot tonight Mom. I'm going upstairs to put it down in my journal." When David finished writing down the lessons he learned in his third Satsang class, he crawled into bed. The soft humming again filled his being as he drifted off to sleep.