Saturday, June 15th, 2013

You Got It Wrong

Winnipeg, Manitoba

With Daruka still engaged in moving, I’m left to do some walking in Winnipeg. I’m still having fun. I took trails along the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. When I was near the provincial legislative building I met with two couples of the First Nations.

It’s interesting the perception people have when you’re in a monk’s attire. One of the fellows took a martial arts stance at me. Everyone else smiled. It was his girlfriend who said, “You got it wrong, this guy is about love and peace.”

We got to talking about walking and one of the girls said, “Many of First Nations people walk, but we’re walking away from our homes and abusive situations.”

Each one of the four new friends I made helped themselves to plucking fragrant lilac flowers from the bushes and then adorned themselves. They look more like the love and peace flower children that I could ever appear to be.

I also met Wade, a young traveler who slept under the nearby bridge last night. He ran with a gusto as soon as he saw me. “Are you a real monk?” he asked panting with excitement.

“Yes, I am, a walking one.”

“I’ve never met a monk in real life… I like walking.” And with a healthy boast of a young man, he says he has large calves in his legs from all his trekking. He also mentioned he has slave shoulders, meaning bulging, from all the backpacking he does. I was actually impressed with Wade. He told me about his mom’s being a vegetarian yoga teacher. I also asked him about his dad, as tomorrow is Fathers’ Day. “Oh yeah! I’ve got to call him!” I can understand from his affection towards parents that he was essentially a good young guy. I hope he shows up tomorrow at the ISKCON Centre at Chestnut Street, 108, at 4 PM.

Another man I met at Wellington Boulevard was a Korean. “You are Buddha?” he asked.

“No, I’m Krishna.”

“Spell it for me.” So he took out his phone and had me spell it with “Hare” in front of the Krishna. “I’m going to look it up,” he said with a great curiosity.

I had reached a destination before returning back to 108 Chestnut. I stopped over at Leonard and Rameshni’s place for chatting, and the ultimate walkers food – some wraps and Gatorade.

In capping off the day, I spoke on the Gita’s verse, 8.6, regarding how your thoughts impact your destiny. A twin set of girls from our community turned 2 today, and we celebrated. They were remarkably non-fidgety and were quiet to my message, as were all the others who came, family and friends.

29 KM