Thursday, July 2nd, 2015

Thursday, July 2nd, 2015
Peterborough, Ontario

Observations

It wasn’t really planned, but in an impromptu way our van-load of Krishna devotees decided to break up the five-hour drive to Toronto with a stop.  The city of Peterborough boasts having Trent University and Fleming College.  It’s a rather handsome downtown that we did stride through with our voices, drum and cymbals.  In my opinion, we were not in full gear and perhaps that’s one of the reasons for a more indifferent reception from the streets.

When we moved to a green strip along the Trent River system, the niceness of the town seemed to show itself.  Sometimes the soft approach gets more attention. We were sitting on the grass looking perhaps less intimidating.  It’s just an observation.

We also came upon Toby Tyler, who was originally from the US and who had met our guru, Srila Prabhupada, in New York in those very early days in the sixties. Toby runs a restaurant in the downtown and was so happy to see us at his eating place, the Electric City Gardens.

Life as a monk has its ups and downs like it is for anyone.  In my case, I worry for people’s lives.  As a mentor for some, I hear sometimes of the personal struggles. If it had not been for their adherence to Krishna Consciousness they naturally would be in a worse spot.  There is a lot of encouragement that goes along with the job.  Outside of the “worry” there is a pattern in this lifestyle of travel, fun, interaction, learning and realizations as we encountered in Peterborough.

May the Source be with you.

6 km