Toronto, Ontario

Saturday, October 27, 2007 Toronto, Ontario

It was an exciting day at the temple where I reside at 243 Avenue Road. One girl, who in her younger years, used

to visit the temple along with her parents, is now getting married. Her name is Geeta and the temple filled up with

family and friends. Two senior citizen buses pulled over in front of the building to make a visit. The place became

packed. In circumstances like this you give your best hospitality. Smiles and encouraging words become contagious.

People then leave feeling satisfied.

Even greater satisfaction stems from the menial tasks such as the clean-up after the party ended. Sweepin,

mopping and co-ordination of such with the volunteers extended the joy. From 4PM to 6PM our first rehearsal for

the upcoming play "Rolling the Dice' tok place. This time I am out of the director's chair and am taking up an acting

role as King Dhrtarastra who is a blind monarch who is overly ambitious and illustrates partiality to his own sons and

ignores the needs of his dependant nephews, the Pandavas. Stepping out of one's own comfort zone and leaping

into another body or personality through acting is the best out-of -body experience you could have.

From 6PM to 11PM was a satsang house program held in Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto. The hosts invited friends

over for mantra demonstration and then participation.

Aside from walking there are some extra curricular activities. The stretch that I did stroll was Yonge Street. With a

weekly insomnia attack I ventured the street while chanting on my beads. It was not the monk's hour but witches

hour. I set foot at midnight. At that time pedestrians are plenty.

Four young dudes were dressed as milk cartons. It was a milk promotion. All you could see was legs with large-size

boxwear to conceal everything else. Only a hole remained for the person in the costume to see where he was

walking. When a black dude walking practically next ot me saw Mr. 2%, Mr. Half and Half, Mr. Homogenized and Mr.

Soya Milk, he got a chuckle out of it. The last one, Mr. Soya Milk, he had become annoyed with and explained why.

"Soya milk-I hate the stuff. It's no good. Look at Buddha (referring to me). He doesn't like it."

"I'm not Buddha. I'm Hare Krishna." Still agitated but also curious he mistook me for saying, "Christian what?"

"Hare Krishna!"

"Oh! Hare Krishna!" The agitated dude switched moods and became as mellow as a gentle kitten. He smiled and

cozily placed his head at my chest and repeated the phrase once again, "Hare Krishna." It almost seemed like he

was ready to purr.

7 kms