Alachua, Florida
To See or Not To See
“What is an armadillo doing rustling around
near our trail?” asked our small group, en route to a water spring for a
swim. This leathery armoured guy can’t
see very well but apparently his sense of smell is good. I looked it up later and discovered that his
foraging is actually about searching for grubs, worms and insects. Bon appétit!
Somehow he felt our presence, despite his
blindness. He reminded me of King
Dhrtarastra from the Vedic epic, Mahabharata. He was blind on two levels. Physically he could not see, and spiritually
he lacked insightfulness.
An interesting character, he was. He could have stopped a war. But conflict ensued out of affection for his
sons.
In any event, our swim was good. I connected with Ugrani whom I haven’t seen
for twenty years. It was also valuable
time to share with younger members, Devala and Saci, in their twenties.
All this was good, which added to the sweet
and sober morning of honouring our guru, Srila Prabhupada, on the anniversary
of his passing. Being the guest
(although not the senior-most person, but a swami-ji) I was asked to speak
first, about my realizations and reflections on his contributions to the world.
I was a product of the counter-culture and
felt I needn’t take hearing from authority seriously. At the same time, I required direction in
life. I met Prabhupada’s students. It is through them that I was formed into some
kind of devotee.
I was blind and through their guidance and
encouragement I could see some positive change in me. Thanks to my dear guru, Srila Prabhupada,
life has improved. I still have a ways
to go.
May the Source be with you!
6 km
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