I am an old man and you are an old man
Urmila : Earlier that day soon after the yajna when I got second initiation, my husband, my father and my son all went to see Srila Prabhupada. My father brought a big fruit gift basket wrapped in cellophane. It was loaded very high over the basket and my father was really proud because he had told them only fruit since he figured Prabhupada wouldn't eat the cooked nuts or candy. At that point my father was chanting everyday and following the principles and offering his food to a picture and buying some flowers for a picture he had of the deities. He was also coming to the temple once a week for guru puja and Bhagavatam class. He was really blossoming in his life. So he told Prabhupada he had brought the fruits and Prabhupada said, "Oh, so many fruits!" My father said, "Yes, only fruits." Then my father, who was radiating joy, asked Prabhupada, "Is it possible to be reborn in the same body?" It was interesting because my father was speaking more about a spiritual birth. But Prabhupada just explained how in this body we travel from one body to another. He said everyone is taking birth over and over again even in this body. He said, "I am an old man and you are an old man and when the body is no longer to be changed, then we'll die." It struck me that Prabhupada didn't necessarily answer people's questions the way they expected them to be answered. He answered in his own way. Prabhupada was just very friendly with my father. The first thing he said was, "Oh, I have seen you before?" And my father said, "Yes, twice before." Prabhupada said, "Oh, so how are you now?" like he was meeting an old friend; very warm and friendly so that you felt that Prabhupada was so happy to see you and that you were the person he was just waiting to see.
Sometimes when you meet somebody, especially a busy person, you feel like you are intruding on their time as maybe they are just seeing you out of an obligation. But Prabhupada didn't make you feel that way. He would put everything else aside to meet with you and be with you because he liked you so much.
Reference: Memories Anecdotes of a Modern Day Saint - Volume 4 by Siddhanta Dasa
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