Meatless Prayers

“Most men consider the course of events as natural and inevitable.  They little know what radical changes are possible through prayer.”
Paramahansa Yogananda

When my dad retired from the Bank of Scotland, he took us on a family holiday to Canada to celebrate.  Lucky for us, he arranged and paid for everything.  All we had to do was pack our bags, bring our passports, and get in the taxi that arrived to whisk us off to the airport.  

After we reached cruising altitude on our transatlantic flight, the cabin crew announced the meal service.  “Today’s choices are chicken or beef,” they informed us.

I turned to my dad.  “Did you order me a vegetarian meal?”

I saw by the look on his face that the answer was no – which it was.

This was back when vegetarian meals had to be pre-ordered.  I guess I had neglected to mention that to my dad.

My heart (and stomach) sank at the prospect of a  7-hour flight without a meal.  So I did what I had learned to do: I prayed.

I CALL UPON MY HIGHEST GUIDES AND ANGELS.  PLEASE GET ME SOME VEGETARIAN FOOD.

Not long after I had said my silent prayer, and before I had even reported my sorry situation to the cabin crew, a jolly flight attendant stopped by my aisle and handed me a tray of food.  “Here’s your vegetarian meal!” she said. And sure enough, it was a vegetarian meal.  

Answered prayers were not new to me, but this particular answer took even me by surprise.

“Did you order this for me?”  I turned to my dad, wondering if he was playing a trick on me.  I saw by the look on his face that the answer was no – which it was.

As far as I know, my dad has been honest with me since the day I asked him for the truth about Santa Claus.

So taking my dad’s propensity for truth-telling into account – and the confused look on his face –  I concluded that my prayer had just been answered.

I happily ate my in-flight meal and prayed a silent THANK YOU for my full belly.

***

Years later, that particular prayer worked again.

I had newly emigrated to the USA to live with my American husband, John.  I had no form of income yet so I started praying and searching for ways to make some money.

After about a month, my prayers were answered when I saw a Harvard University advert looking for healthy females to take part in a paid three-week sleep study at a teaching hospital in Boston.  I signed up – and was ultimately accepted – but I had to complete a single test-night in their lab first so they could monitor my sleep and make sure I didn’t have any undiagnosed disorders.

I arrived at their lab in the early afternoon of my test-night and was immediately checked over by a nurse and a doctor.  Then I was told the prep for the overnight test would take place after dinner – which would arrive in an hour.  Until then I would be alone in my private hospital suite.

It was then I realized I hadn’t yet had a chance to tell anyone I was (at that time) a vegan.

So I did what I had learned to do, again:  I prayed.

I CALL UPON MY HIGHEST GUIDES AND ANGELS.  PLEASE GET ME SOME VEGAN FOOD.

When the nutrition assistant got to my room about an hour later she said, “We got your order!” just like it was the most natural thing to say to someone when you first meet.

“Uh, what order?” I replied because I seriously hadn’t ordered anything (except silently, of course).

“We got your order for tofu stir fry” as she set a tray of food down on the table next to me.

I laughed and thanked her.  Who knew that prayer would work twice? I thought to myself.  I ate my miracle vegan meal and prayed a silent THANK YOU for my full belly.

Louise x