Thursday, May 28th, 2015

Thursday, May 28^th, 2015
Toronto, Ontario

It Can Be Great To Wait


Praveen and I were rather proud of ourselves after we made the commitment to a one hour of walking during our japa meditation period.  Our arrival at the ashram was right on the button, smack on the second of a 60 minute trek.  It couldn’t have been more accurate, more exacting to the second.  Personally, I feel great when things are done timely like this.  Praveen was beaming as was I. 

I felt a bit less elated, though, in the afternoon, when our slotted time, 2 PM, for a dash to our communal van was delayed.  The clock ticked from 2 to 2:10, to 2:20, and finally, 2:30, and we were still not loaded up with all monks possible, and drums.  It was mainly Nick, whom I often address as ‘Slick Nick’, who was the culprit and the cause of challenging time.  The rest of us, four residential monks, were growing impatient.  I decided to avoid storming him (impatience externally in check), and to leave the van for the ashram to explore and ask, “Why the hold up, Nick?”  No, I wasn’t going to use my kick, or a stick on Nick.  My affection for Nick is too strong.  Nevertheless, I was curious as hell to know what happened to the last of the chanters as we anticipated our journey for Kensington Market, an enclave of shops and people of an open kind. 

Alas, there was Nick, inside the boutique, making a $400 sale of BBT books.  Someone had taken interest in the complete volume set of our guru’s books.  The purchase would surely nurture the soul for the one reading page after page of revelations by Srila Prabhupada to do with the Absolute Truth. 

Those of us waiting were now relieved.  The extra wait bore marvelous fruit.  With our spirits up and Nick now ready to go, we ventured off to Kensington and then Chinatown.  We started drumming and chanting, all was auspicious.  We even stumbled upon various acquaintances, and also made new friends along the way. 

All’s well that ends well. 

May the Source be with you!

8 km