Saturday, September 8th, 2012

I Carried the Can

 

Kashabowie, Ontario

 

I carried a can. It was empty. Of course, I had eaten the contents. It was peanuts and cashews, a common snack for hikers. It certainly is my brand of trail mix.

 

I carried this can for some distance, some kilometres. There's a reason for that: I don't like to do what I see other's doing. Some people so carelessly toss Tim Horton's coffee cups out of their window. I don't like to do that. It may have looked like this can I was carrying resembled a begging bowl. So be it. It could possibly be part of a monk's regalia. It doesn't really matter what it looked like to the motorist. This can served its purpose, and as a personal policy, I will wait until I meet Daruka who will save it and deposit it to a recycling bin when he gets a chance.

 

At a side road off highway 11, which is my trail for several days, was this curious red fox. But in the end, he wasn't really interested in me, or my can, nor were the many chipmunks who made squeaking sounds like crazy, with their cries announcing my intrusion. I envy these guys; there life seems to be quite free of worries. There life is simple: they carry no shopping bags, carts, crates, bins or cans for their carrying purposes. Everything is done with their teeth. They take only what they need for food and winter storage. How lucky and how free!

 

In the afternoon, Daruka and I went back to the city after walking through true tranquillity. Helen has a yoga studio, wherein 40 people came for kirtan chanting. That's impressive because it was publicized at a last minutes notice. And while the One to whom we offered these mantras, enjoyed, we (the chanters) also enjoyed singing Hare Krishna. People offered donations. Shucks, I should have used the can!

 

Our evening was well arranged for accommodations. Dan, whom I met a few days before, informed me of his wilderness discovery resort. With excellent lodging facilities over Lake Shebandawan. Out of the goodness of his heart, and that of his partner Wanda, we were comfortably set in cabin three, with no charge.

 

We call this service - devotional service.

 

30 Km