various habits and temperaments to each other. I recall Baba saying in the midst of a "crisis"—"Would the East and West ever love one another?" (meaning our group, of course). We discussed the point and finally decided that fundamentally we were the same, but our ways and ideas were so different that superficially, friction was impossible to avoid; but year by year that superficial friction became less and less and today is non-existent.

There were often arguments, discussions or clashes of opinion regarding how things should be done. We were fussy over food; Indian food was too spicy, English food too insipid, etc. To Baba, dislikes are as much wants as likes. I repeat, dislikes are as much wants as likes. "Both," said Baba, "are desires of the ego, and hence both have to go."

Finally, we settled for more or less one type of food with one plainly cooked vegetable. It was often over such stupid things that we got upset and annoyed, and resorted to those hasty bursts of irritation. We had thought we had left all our pettiness of the world behind, but not so, until we could overcome it in ourselves.

When there was a water shortage for bathing, Baba would order for each of us, one-half pail full; but some criticized others for using more, or what the criticizer thought was more—not easy to measure when a pail is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top!

It was, however, just these daily happenings that afforded Baba his opportunity to work up a crisis of ego-elimination and bring us a step further on the Path toward God, through control, obedience, and a mind concen­trated on him. "Any time a person's thoughts turn truly to me, I am truly with them."

Baba would see all that went on, arbitrate between two contending parties and bring about a compromise, but he rarely took sides. Each would have the opportunity to get a straight talk with Baba, and this is very refreshing. Baba never evades anything and never harbors bitterness. I think Baba rather enjoys watching the tussle between two pronounced "egos." Something is being got rid of. Baba has a wonderful way of finding both parties to be in the right. As Baba said, for instance, to N. and E. after a heated argument: "You are both in the right, but N. has got to go a little slower and E. has got to try and move a little faster." Then, looking at both with a smile, he would add, "Now both embrace."