Monday, December 21st, 2015

Monday, December 21st, 2015
Honolulu, Hawaii

We Can All Be Pilgrims

With it being my last day on the island in Hawaii before going back to Canada, I took the opportunity to reflect on my stay here.

To begin, the Vaishnava/Krishna community had been really great to me, providing me with a room on the second floor of the temple; a room with a cross ventilation that welcomed the comfortable ocean breeziness, and sometimes storminess. Special preps were made for me, although I'm fine with the regular fare served. My stolen Oofos shoes were replaced with a new pair of Crocs. Devotees went out of their way to please.

I was very satisfactorily engaged in giving classes, mostly in the morning. I spoke, from the Bhagavatam, a section on King Vena- a corrupted dictator- and how progressive sages united to dispose of him through "high sounding words" (mantras). Those sages acted swiftly and also expressed the concern about the residual effects of the monarch's loss by seeking a successor. Basically, the topics dealt with, "how do you address both practicality and spirituality in the aftermath of disaster?"

My visit wrapped up with a kirtan at Waikiki Beach, with the above mentioned spiritual family consisting of godbrothers like Srutakirti, Narahari, and Raghu. I was told that President Barack Obama was in town for the holidays. I hope he had the chance to hear our kirtan. I was anticipating that the general public- the beach and bar goers- would like our Krishna 'caroling.' Literature on Krishna was also being passed out. People were receptive.

When I did make the final goodbyes to Gurudev, who sponsored me, and others who saw me off at the airport, one fellow behind me in the security lineup said, "I saw you on the highway by the North Shore the other day. It was obviously you!" To this I confirmed for him that I'm a pilgrim, and we can all be pilgrims.

 
May the Source be with you!

5 km