Russell, Ontario
Shine Day
It was all like glass—every driveway; actually, it was ice glistening with the sun on it. Snow banks were the same—sparkling, shining like anything. That was our driving experience, visually, all the way to Russell, with Billy behind the wheel and his wife, Amala, as passenger, along with myself in the back seat, and priest, Mangala Charan, at my side. A clear day. Pretty!
We were set, not for a walking party but for a diksha ceremony for Mandala, a young Canadian chap who assisted me during my three segments of walking the U.S. I guess you could say his receiving an initiation name, a fresh new set of beads for the hand to meditate with, and a new strand of beads for the neck, was all a reward for his kind services. Mandala is without ego. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bts_qPCA2XU/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1eqe7rp9qvzk0
Mandala, now Mandala Ram, is also blessed with a wife. Married not so long ago, Apurvi, the lucky lady, was someone he first met in Noida, India, when Mandala and I travelled there for a production of "Krishna Is," and he was my sound man. It's nice that we had some experiences together in areas where life is significant for him.
His mother, Kirtan, was there for the initiation, as well as "bros and sistas." Yes, a big family of twelve siblings. Irish-Catholic-Hare-Krishna is what the McAllister family is—big and beautiful. The ceremony was held in the Registration Building, a small armoury-resembling edifice, in the quaint downtown of this small bedroom community of Ottawa.
By the end of the evening, the sparkle, glitter and shine remained when there was some reflection of light as I opened the door to exit into that wintry wonder of magic. Just watch your step on that shimmering ice.
May the Source be with you!
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