Tuesday 3 January 2012

Saturday, December 31st, 2011

Year Finishing

Vaughan, Ontario

The real trekking for today was the round trip (on foot) from the ashram to Toronto's old city hall and back. Purpose? I went to take part in what proves to be one of the most exciting chanting sessions of the year - the New Year's countdown. Unique about this kirtan is that dozens of people take the 3.5 km trek back to the ashram after chanting with the rest of us. We arrived after a 3 hour chanting, in other words, 3 AM in the morning. An unforgettable party!

Three outreach New Year's Eve programs preceded the countdown and all were sweet.

I can't resist taking an exerpt from the book, "Surprises Around the Bend" and sharing it. On Mother Theresa: "In 1948 she arrived in the slums of Calcutta, but she was still not sure she had made the right decision. Could she really identify with these people? After praying for God's ugidance, she formulated a plan to walk through the slums and see what would happen. She quoted: 'I walked and walked all the time, until I couldn't walk anymore. Then I understood better the exhaustion of the really poor, always in search of a little food, of medicines, of everything.'

"That specific walk proved to be pivotal in resolving whether or not to accept the promptings of her heart. Yes, she could live like the people she sought to help. Though she had no shelter, no money, no employment, no security, somehow she believed God would provide."

8 Km

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