Brussels/Toronto
Where They Don't Know
Balaram, Mandala, and I left India for the friendly skies. Leaving India means you leave the land that knows. For instance, we went through customs where you get searched by an officer. Because of our attire and certain mannerisms, the security in India knows who you are and what you represent. They'll stamp your boarding pass and say, "Hare Krishna," with a smile and perhaps with a waggle of the head. In other words, they know who you are. They at times ask a question, devotionally related, of course. They may even ask for some prasad (sanctified food). How pious they are!
From Brussels, back to Toronto on Jet Airways, I took the opportunity to speak to a male flight attendant. "I've been a monk for 42 years," I said. He was astounded by that remark. I informed him of my affiliation with Krishna Consciousness. It appears that he knew less, because although from Delhi, he does substantial travelling. Perhaps he's not totally in tune with all that is "Vedic". A thought came to my mind which I shared with Mandala as we sat next to each other in the aircraft. "You know, the more you move in direction away from India, the more you enter territory that 'doesn't' know," meaning about Krishna and His message in the Gita. In one sense it's rather consoling to go to a place where they 'don't' know. That gives us an opportunity to tell.
May the Source be with you!
6 KM
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