Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Getting the Job Done

Toronto/Pennsylvania

It was 2 AM. It was wet and warm out. Rascally raccoons screeched out a fierce fight hanging on to the edge of their individual territorial branch. A woman stopped her jeep and asked, “Have you seen my dog? It goes by the name ‘Emory’. It’s a boxer, very white.”

I had to admit, “No!” but that I’ll inform the monks inside and we’ll get back to her. “How do we reach you?”

“My phone number is on her collar,” she said most anxiously. “I have a friend. She goes to your temple. Oh! I’m so upset about my dog!”

“I’ll pray.”

“Thank you!” She drove off.

I gave a hand wave to the newspaper man. He reciprocated. He’s been delivering for years. I guess that’s inspirational. A lot goes on at such an early hour.

What have I learned from all of this interaction? We defend. We worry. We work. We pray. We are dry. We are wet. We go through a lot. And somehow through the course of it all we keep the Divine in mind.

My reason for the early walk outside in the drizzle was to complete my daily prescribed japa (chanting on beads). Before embarking on a journey by car to our farm near Port Royal, Pennsylvania, I just wanted to have the task completed. My newspaper friend is vigilant and reminds me through his vigilance that I’m doing the right thing. Furthermore, he does his job with a smile which reminds me of one more thing. Experience tells that the guru is not fazed by distractions. He happily carries on with his services to humanity. Wet, dry, sad, glad, rough, smooth – whatever the condition. Get the job done.

By 6:30 AM bags were packed. My chanting was done. I attended some bhajans. I showered, dressed, placed on the forehead tilak marks and headed for the U.S. border. The driver, Gaurachandra said that before he got behind the steering wheel he was determined to complete his daily prescribed japa. That means he and I were both on the same page.

One other person was picked up, Nitai Priya, before we left for the hills of Pennsylvania. Like Gaurachandra and I, she had made a commitment to daily prescribed chanting. That makes three of us who made such vows and that’s what made the trip powerful. We had all this chanting behind us.

6 KM