Pavement to Gravel
Consul, Saskatchewan
In the previous night at Brenda’s place, people were warning of cougar sightings and to be careful. Okay! I’ve seen cougars in the wild in Saskatchewan before. Not alive, but dead. Cubs I saw, struck by traffic. I took photographs of them, they were definitely cougars.
To pay heed to the warning I decided for extra safety to avoid startling animals of the wild, especially in the dark, by chanting with more volume than usual when walking the highway. Also, I felt to give them clearance as much as possible, as routine, I walked down the middle of the road. For the first three hours of walking this stretch, you have one car per hour coming, it’s so quiet. Maybe that’s why wildlife likes it out here. At one point, I even ventured off walking the railway line for a stretch because I haven’t been seeing any trains.
Back on the road, and as usual, when the sun hits, much is revealed about evening’s goings on. Coyotes have offered their feces to the highway. They are quite neat about it, using the highway’s edge, and for some reason, avoiding the shoulder of the road. At least it tells me they are there, are alive and well.
Coming on her bicycle was Linda Brown, mayor of the village of Consul, population 70. She was charged up to meet, at this time, Daruka, Billy and I. She went off to collect two button pins to the town with its logo, we were touched.
The highway’s pavement ends at the town of Consul, and I came to terms with using the gravel of no choice. Things such as hawks accompanied me and there were the antelope, known to be the continent’s fastest runners. These creatures kept me perked up. When the rare motorist goes by, dust gets stirred up like crazy.
What are you going to do?
At 3 PM with less than a day’s notice, the local museum was filled with mostly seniors. Daruka had picked me up and drove me to the occasion. I relayed some details about the Canada pilgrimage and again, here I was able to tell of the Krishna Conscious philosophy. I felt extremely comfortable about how we definitely will not die. Our bodies will perish, but we will go on in a new existence, tweaking our journey, refining our life. “The Creator is compassionate to the point where we are permitted numerous chances.”
Our second and last presentation for the day was held in the library in Shaunavon. People there relished hearing of pedestrian pastimes with philosophy blended in. What resonated the most apart from the kirtan that all participated in was hearing that the Great Spirit is indeed a person and is present in the forces of nature. I mention that relationships and love are important to everyone and with the great spirit there’s a relationship that is solid, divine and unconditional. “God is the source and has force.”
May the Source and the Force be with you. All we need to do is serve.
30 KM
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