Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

Texas

 

Some Steps Inside

Somewhere off the interstate between Houston and St. Louis our two bus-loads of youth from the US, Canada and Europe had a driving break. Let’s call this somewhere "Blue-collar Town". In "Blue-collar Town" the main feature of the place was none other than the Wal-mart.

For shopping we went. I sponsored ice cream for the fifty-plus teens. Grocery supplies were purchased for the journey ahead.

One of the UK boys asked, "What is Wal-mart?" as we spun into parking position. I summarized it like this, "A big box that you enter. It has everything in it that is cheap and smells like plastic."

The one big attraction for both boys and girls, their drivers and one monk was the air conditioning inside. The boy’s bus is one of the older school bus types which has open windows for its AC, which are minimally effective when the vehicle is in motion. The generator on the girl’s bus is malfunctioning. So we were totally happy to be in a cool unit; the Wal-mart. For me it was the only opportunity for a walk. So I began doing cycles along the building’s interior. I met a Wal-mart greeter several times over – a woman. I stopped for a second to explain my intent and her response was, "Oh, people do it all the time. They walk to feel chilled." That was great because I was slightly uncertain about my intent.

In any event, embarrassment of any kind was now removed. I felt justified in my actions, put on three kilometres and became rather proud of the accomplishment.

While going for that walk it dawned on me that perhaps I’m executing a kind of Karma Yoga, the path where you offer your action’s fruits to God. Here I was, using my body, which belongs to Krishna, and offering it in His service.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km