Wednesday, August 15th, 2012

Dedicated To The Ones I Love

London, Ontario

I have been doing some walking dedication. Yesterday, it was for Randy, Ramachandra of London. He is having surgery. Today I dedicated my steps to Pete, a cousin in law who went for a hip replacement also here in London. I believe it’s necessary to send thoughts out to those needing. The time will come when you and I will want to be on that receiving end.

As traffic picks up I chant my mantras and step up my volume as well. Chanting is my way of prayer. In the morning at predawn I see animals before humans appear. There’s the bunnies, skunks, raccoons, fox and deer. Then the mean machines manifest with their two lit laser eyes. Usually you see the occasional pickup truck. With the sun’s rising the nocturnal creatures disappear and human insanity appears. The traffic roars by and it is the chanting that keeps my head above water.

At London’s east end, Dundas Street, a man with a camera on tripod was filming the guy on the road, me. Matt from CTV was a camera man. Celine also came with questions. It’s not usual for an interview, but here people came forward to talk to me while the camera was shooting. For instance, Chris is 29 today, and we talked about his birthday and how we’re not really old but young eternally, referring to the soul. Mike was also captured on camera. He lost his job at Ford, but is thinking about being a barber. He says he believes in karma. I told him that my walking is reducing karma and pounds. The camera captured some of our dialogue.

Away from the camera and up the street, I met some people at a drug recovery center. The lineup was long. Drugs are harmful, it’s easy to see in talking to some of these fellows the damage done, the symptoms of their body language, the display of their insecurity, the lack of focus in speech and stance. I could see doing lots of dedicational walks for these dudes.

Later on I was interviewed live on Radio AM 980. Daruka and I drove behind a large Leon’s Furniture store to have a quiet on the air discussion with Craig, newscaster.

Lunch was at Rakesh’s, a doctor and pilot who flew out to join me when I was walking in 1996. Evening was spent at the downtown Yoga and Holistic Center in London for a speaking engagement about my experience on the road and how it all becomes pilgrimage. Participants enjoyed and they enjoyed the kirtan as well. Why wouldn’t they? It’s always a hit.

30 Km