Toronto, Ontario
It has been my custom whenever someone new comes to the city to introduce them to one of the ravines of the city. It is always with beads in hand that we take on a trek through the tranquil greenery of urban madness. Today I took with me Dustin and Nitai Priya through one of the more challenging trails. Since they are my kind (nature buffs) I saw that they were fit for this very "physical" path.
It is the season of Ratha Yatra, the Chariot Festival. It has been my thirty-sixth year of the majestic wheels turning. The endeavor to host such a program requires funds. Part of the portfolio of a monk might be to fund raise but actually it is more like friend-raising. With a small car load of devotees we took to the suburban streets of Markham and made visitations to three prearranged homes. Our obligation was to sing and speak Bhagavat philosophy for a few brief moments. We also offered as gifts to those homeowners devotional subject matter and each place refreshments were given out of mutual love. Oh, yes, their donations would come and to deal with the practical aspect of things, a charitable donation receipt was given to the donor on the spot.
I thoroughly enjoy the making-friends part. The greatest difficulty always is being in a stuffy car en route somewhere. Foot travel is always superior.
5 Km
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