Thursday, December 30th, 2010

God Sent A Boxer

Toronto, Ontario

I went for my daily walk when I met the Halifax monks. They were just returning from their book distribution program. In the month of December, worldwide efforts are made to enthuse pedestrians, shop keepers, residential folks, just about anyone in receiving a book of Vedic wisdom for nominal donations. With the month coming to a close the book marathon is beginning to wind down.

To give our community a taste of what I'm talking about with regards to this noble book distribution service I spoke with the boys about recreating some of the highlights of encounters with people (particularly on the street) in the form of a dramatization for a New Year's festival at the temple. There was some eagerness about doing it and the monks came back to start the scripting. Each of the six monks butt heads to write of a person (sometimes 'character') they met. I wondered how I could contribute to the script. I wasn't much involved in the book program other than encouraging people in my recent travels. I'm handicapped with a health issue, a hernia whom I've nicknamed Hernia-kashipu, which has a semblance o to the name of a Puranic demon.

When I returned from a careful walk I saw two young men sitting in the back of the temple room. The one who first noticed me was Ryan O'Campo who won a bronze medal for the 2003 Canadian Winter Games in New Brunswick for boxing. Ryan has made it his second trip to the temple. "I love it here," he said with a smile. He did express a slight depression due to not training for five days.

"I know what it's like, being a marathon walker, and if you don't move those legs for a few days you feel like something's really missing," I said, he concurred. In fact he did agree with so many things including philosophical remarks I made. He was enthused to purchase a book from me. "Coming Back" is a small paperback on the science of reincarnation. Ryan was thrilled.

And when I asked him if he would play himself and to re-enact our encounter in our drama for Jan the 1st, he was doubly thrilled. "Rehearsal will be at 4 pm tomorrow," I said.

I'm glad Ryan came. He’s God-sent. God sent a boxer.

3 KM