A Story a Day: Faith and Devotion in God There was an elderly man who had been bedridden for many years due to paralysis. Strangely, there was always an empty chair beside his bed, and no one else would sit in it. The old man would spend hours talking to the chair. His family thought he might have gone a little crazy or developed dementia due to his illness, so they ignored it. But the elderly man remained unaffected by their disregard and continued his routine. Whenever the family went out or during the silent nights, he would continue his conversation with the chair. Concerned about his behavior, his children consulted a doctor to evaluate his mental health. The doctor assured them that he did not have any mental illness. Once, his daughter came to visit him from her in-laws' house. She was concerned and curious about her father's strange behavior. She wondered why he behaved that way and what the solution might be. Seeking answers, she approached a saint and described her father's peculiar behavior, asking if there could be a remedy. The saint listened to her story and agreed to visit their home to meet the elderly man. Upon visiting, the saint sat in the chair by the man's bed and addressed him, "Respected sir, your daughter and family members are quite worried about your behavior." The elderly man requested the saint to close the door, expressing that he wanted to share something in private. Once the door was closed, the old man began to speak slowly: "Guruji, I have been a bank manager and retired many years ago. After my wife passed away, I was struck by paralysis and have been bedridden. My children are busy with their lives, and I can’t get out of bed. This situation became very challenging for me, pushing me into depression. My children consulted many psychiatrists, and I was on sleeping pills for a long time, which didn't help much. One day, a close childhood friend came to visit me. He is now a spiritual person living in a distant country. Seeing my state, he offered advice: 'Look, my friend, you must find a way out of this yourself. I'm telling you something; please listen carefully. Place an empty chair in your room, and imagine it as the seat of your beloved deity. Start conversing with your deity about all your troubles, happiness, pain, and joys. Seek solutions from Him. Believe that God is sitting right there with you and talk to him without any hesitation. Doing this will surely bring peace to your heart.' Since that day, I have been spending time every day talking to my deity as if He is seated on that chair. I have found immense peace and comfort in doing so. I constantly pray for an easy death. Though my children think I have lost my mind, it doesn’t bother me. With my beloved deity by my side, I lack nothing," narrated the elderly man. Hearing his story, the saint was left speechless. He said, "Sir, you are on a very elevated spiritual plane. I am in no position to give you any guidance," and bowed to him before leaving. A few days later, the old man's daughter visited the saint again and expressed her heartfelt gratitude: "Guruji, we don’t know what advice you gave my father, but since you visited, he seemed so lively and happy. However, this morning, I found my father with his head rested on that empty chair, having passed away. Despite his years of immobility, he managed to reach that chair and peacefully lay his head on it as he left this world. His face bore a serene satisfaction we had never seen before," she said, tears streaming down her face. Listening to her, the saint, too, was moved to tears. Raising his hands to the sky, he prayed, "Oh Lord, when will you free me from this world, just like you did for this man?" He implored for the same fortune, to rest his head on God's lap and depart peacefully. Faith and trust in God bring courage and confidence, even in the most challenging situations. Thus, everyone should have faith in God. The belief that God is omnipresent should develop in us. When that belief takes root, peace and tranquility will prevail in our lives.