Made My Day
Toronto, Ontario
A flight to Dallas began with a 9 km walk towards Pearson Airport from Dupont to Keele to Weston Road, I went through a working class neighbourhood. I like it. It's simple folks, family oriented, who are set to toil during the week to bring food to the table, to have a visit to the shopping mall on Saturday to purchase something shiny and perhaps to put an hour and half time in for a service at church on Sunday. Such is life for the human basics program.
It was great being out there in the urban outdoors, catching a moment with people at the bus stops. Shirley was waiting at Keele. I gave a nod and then she introduced herself as coming from Jamaica. She wanted to know about the markings on my forehead.
"This is an earth based substance put on the brow to mark the body as a temple of God,"
I explained. "God is in us." She liked that and then asked,
"What religion are you?"
"Hare Krishna," I said.
"Hare Christian?" she asked.
"No, Krishna. It's origins are India, it goes way back."
I gave her a mantra card and told her I walked the distance from Avenue Road which at this point from the start measured at 7 km. She was wowed by that. Of course, she is bus bound and likely has an incredible ways to go, so walking is not an option. I find it's important to impress someone by one way or another, either by friendliness or words that stimulate. Once that's achieved, you can talk spiritual to anyone. What was nice about Shirley is that right off the bat she wanted to dive right into the spiritual realm. She was non pretentious and didn't wander around the bush.
My ride came and I was then on my way to the airport and then Dallas. I had numerous interactions with people since morning, but Shirley, the Jamaican, made my day, although a brief encounter.
9 Km
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