Unexpected Blessings from the Universe/Goddesses
Life is fascinating. We often don’t understand why certain things—good or bad—happen to us. When something good happens, we take credit for it, but when faced with difficulties, we ask, “Why me?” and sometimes even feel upset with our gods or goddesses. We spend a lot of time analyzing the reasons behind our hardships. I am no different—I, too, have questioned life’s challenges.
I’d like to share an incident that happened almost fifteen years ago. Back then, I frequently traveled to China to attend CPHI meetings, where I reconnected with old contacts and made new ones before returning to San Francisco. In 2010, I decided to take a detour and spend a few days in Thailand, booking my ticket through United Airlines. However, when I mentioned my plan to a friend in China, she warned me against going due to the ongoing Red Shirt movement in Thailand. Concerned about the situation, I called United Airlines to change my itinerary.
Fortunately, the customer service representative who answered my call was from Thailand. Understanding the situation immediately, she offered me three alternative destinations: Singapore, Vietnam, or Cambodia. I ruled out Singapore because of the high costs and dismissed Cambodia based on my cousin’s recent trip, where he was not particularly impressed. Though my Vietnamese friends had often encouraged me to visit Vietnam, I had always insisted that I wouldn’t. Yet, fate had other plans—I was indirectly led to Vietnam.
With my revised itinerary set to visit Vietnam first, then Shanghai for my meeting, and finally back to San Francisco, I booked a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. While researching places to visit near my hotel, I was surprised to discover a Goddess Mariamman temple nearby. In Tamil Nadu villages, Goddess Mariamman is widely worshiped and known for her immense power.
When I received my new itinerary, I shared it with a friend in Korea. She was excited to hear about my visit to Ho Chi Minh City because her family had recently moved there after her husband started a company. She suggested meeting up for lunch, and I was thrilled at the chance to see her again after seven years.
After arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, I began visiting the Goddess Mariamman Temple every morning and evening. The temple was built by Tamil Nadu merchants, and its main deities were Mariamman, Petchi Amman, and Madurai Veeran. What surprised me most was seeing so many Vietnamese people worshiping there, offering incense sticks with deep devotion.
On my third morning at the temple, I met a man whose mother was Vietnamese and father was from Tamil Nadu. We had a long conversation, and before leaving, he invited me to attend a 7:00 PM ritual performed by Amma, his mother. Curious and honored, I agreed.
That evening, I returned to witness the ritual. His elderly mother, dressed in a traditional Indian saree, had her hair neatly combed in the Indian style and adorned with jasmine flowers. Seeing her brought me joy and a sense of connection. The ritual began exactly at 7:00 PM, followed by an aarti and the distribution of prasadam (blessed offering).
After receiving the prasadam, I went to say goodbye. Just then, the man looked at me and said, “Amma said everything is going to be okay.” I didn’t know what he meant at the time, but I left Ho Chi Minh City feeling happy and at peace. Meeting my dear friend after seven years and visiting the temple had brought me unexpected comfort.
After returning home, things started improving in my life. I began receiving more projects, which significantly increased my income. More importantly, one of my customers even purchased a $30,000 instrument, which helped boost my productivity and speed up my deliveries. As good things kept happening, I wholeheartedly attributed these blessings to Mariamman’s grace through Amma.
I believe the universe guided me to receive the blessings of the Goddess and also reunited me with my good friend after many years.