Monday, January 10th, 2011

Dead or Alive!

Owen Sound, Ontario

Everywhere that anyone may wander there is a reminder of death and life. From 4th Avenue I trekked on passing by the length and width of the local cemetery, Greenwood. It was too dark to read the inscriptions on the tombstones. Sun hadn't yet shown its' glorious face.

Traffic trickled along the grid of this tiny city. It showed life though. And you can imagine the minds of those motorists. It's Monday morning. A blue mood persists. It seems like death for some people. Runners are running. Motorists are motoring. I seemed to be the only walker.

Priyam is 13, and Krishna, his brother, is 8. As I completed my walk I sat down with them for breakfast. They are driven by Mom to school each day. Dad is in Orlando on a work assignment. The boys will not be running, walking or driving a car. Their love is hockey. And they're good at it according to them. Hockey makes them feel alive. Their summer shifts them to soccer and Dad plays cricket then.

What? In Canada? Apparently.

There's enough people in Owen Sound from South Africa, New Zealand, the U.K. and India to form a team.

What is most extraordinary about this family of Gujarati origin is that while they put out work and play efforts, the always have time for God. The moments when they don't play and work is the time for shanti, peace and stillness. The parents, Rajesh and Alpa, keep a beautiful shrine in their front room.

The situation for this family seems as close to perfection as possible. The boys do well in school. They have a nice home. The town is clean, Victorian-looking and there are natural waterfalls all around. Good karma, for sure!

One thing we learn form stories found in the Vedas, like the story of Sudama Brahman, is that you should never be ungrateful for the great that comes your way. Don't let your good karma spoil you.

Our hosts, the family, demonstrated so much kindness to Surya, Deva and myself during our one night stay. We saw what ideal life is like.

On our return to the city while the sun suspended itself in its glory, snow like light dust was blowing about when we saw a massive arched rainbow in the sky. Has anyone ever seen a rainbow in the dead of winter? It was so much alive.

6 KM