Monday, May 20th, 2019

Gananogue / Toronto

On A Return

On a return journey back to Toronto, our group of five stopped in at the Gananogue Inn to see the Patel clan and be greeted by wholesome wraps and pizzas. Our short two-hour visit also entailed a tour walk of the waterfront where tourists embark on the popular boat cruises.  This stop is becoming a cool routine when traveling between Montreal and Toronto.

Back in Toronto and we were enchanted by the Monday-night kirtan.  This is as good a way as any to celebrate the national holiday of Victoria Day.  Yes, it was during the Queen's era that Canada got cut free from its monarchical ties.

The word "free" is really such a misused term.  Adherents to the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita learn that true freedom is experienced when the senses are under control.  According to these teachings, we have five knowledge-acquiring senses, namely the ears, eyes, nose, mouth and touch, and then working senses are listed as hands, legs, anus, genitals and tongue.  When these ten body parts are channeled through service with Divine intent, one begins to enjoy a form of freedom like nothing else.

I walked into the temple room and heard the sweet voice of Lilamayi.  She sings well.  Thakur, who hails from Africa, demonstrates his power and finesse on the drum. Others had come to respond with their voices in the process of what we call shravanam kirtanam: receiving and responding to the mantras.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Sunday, May 19th, 2019

Montreal, Quebec

Sunday Openness

I took Kalakanta and Fernando to the botanical gardens, which is slightly more than a stone's throw from our temple darshan on PIE IX Blvd. in Montreal.  Nice place.  I come here all the time; yet at the entrance, two officials asked if we have our tickets.

"No!"

"That's twenty dollars a person."

Oops! I thought, then I voiced my decision to reverse, and so we ventured along the adjoining trails and parks where pedestrians from just about any different background put palms together for a "namaste" if they knew how to say it.

What was once old farmland is now a network of green thoroughfares—no cars, thank God.

We also joined the team of monks who routinely go down Ontario Street for public chanting.  In front of the Pharmasave store, we sat to bellow out the mahamantra with mrdunga drum, cymbals and harmonium while under a tree.  One of the boys became a target from a bird above. Mercy to him.  But it was the pedestrians here also who pleasantly received us now through our singing and playing.

The final piece of chanting happened at the temple, where folks are happily habituated to coming to the Sunday Open House.  At the front door I met two women who showed up for the first time, a result of meeting our boys who were chanting on the street.

Kalakanta delivered his last class while on his eastern Canada tour for promoting back to the land and animals lifestyle.  It was good.   https://www.instagram.com/p/BxwrODEA68P/?igshid=1bid2ylxk1yr9

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Saturday, May 18th, 2019

Mascouche, Quebec

Reflecting While Walking

I really felt a leap of progress had occurred, after our fourth annual Farmer's Conference for Eastern Canada.   After our meeting, I left the venue of Nandagram, a sixty-five acre, farmer-starting facility, in a reflective mode.  It consisted of a number of hours of sharing ideas and experiences, all to do with cow/bull care, as well as growing plants for smell, sight and food. It was time to step out of the range of presentations and discussions and let participants depart, and for me to chill by taking to solitude on the road.

Our honourable guest , Kalakanta, was very instrumental in encouraging a proper follow-up. His mood was: Let us not all go away, say we had a good time, and then forget all we discussed in forward thinking. Rather, let's go for research and implementation—some action planning.

Some attendees will get behind a continual networking among the group.  Some will go deeper into seeing how quality cow's milk, ahimsa (non-violent) milk, could become more accessible to the public. The entire sentiment of the thirty-plus people present was: How to improve the quality of life?  And to state it simply, the idea of: we must get back to dirt and animals, is an intention we felt we could get behind.

As I tread a mere five kilometres or so, walking from Nandagram Farm, I observed the land, and the culture around.  We have become completely car and machinery dependent.  We have become committed to slaughter, and the use of nasty chemicals. I did admire rooftops of painted metal, and how this is practical for this snow-bound area.  I hope one day the Mascouche river gets cleaner.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Friday, May 17th, 2019

Gananoque / Ottawa

Down the Waterway

It was a restful sleep in the historic Gananoque Inn, established one hundred and eighty-five years ago.  I awoke to the sound of a loon, and shortly after my shower and donning swami robes, I took a stroll along the St. Lawrence waterways, eventually to view the town, and then to swing right back to the Inn and wake up my assistant, Bhakta Connor, who is a great guy.  He simply has to work at his addiction—his phone.

Joining our party, which had set out from Toronto, was Kirtan and her grandson from Russell, and the newly-arrived, fresh from India, Apoorvi, who recently became betrothed to one of my best cross-country walk supporters, Mandala-Ram. We boarded a boat for a cruise through the Thousand Islands which draws people from all over the world.

An eagle flew above our heads just as we set sail.  The sun was with us, the wind in spots, as well.  Water was all around and so were the many islands, big and small. A recording informed us of the rich and famous who have lived, or still live, along the way.  A highlight was the castle, on one island, built by a gentleman, Boldt.  It is magnificent—a gift to his wife, who did not live long enough to be able to move in. Ahhh!  It could be a nice temple.

The two-and-a-half-hour cruise was completed, and our party split, with half of us en-route to Ottawa for the festival of the Lion avatar, Narasimha.  One quote I wish to share from Chief Seattle, "What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected."

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Thursday, May 16th, 2019

Picton, Ontario

Toward the Water

Connor and I got some footsteps in before a rather grand event in the Toronto temple. Two of our young men, brothers and sons of my personal doctor, Jagannatha Misra, received their upanayanam, their sacred thread.  It is a common rite of passage for Kashmiri brahman families.

The most important element of the very detailed program was the kirtan, the chanting that went on.  That is always the case.

Our gracious visitor from Brazil, Kalakanta, who has been most helpful and inspirational to those with farming initiatives, decided to opt out of an excursion today. He became understandably exhausted, and needed a day of rest.

I proceeded on with set plans to go east and visit Dyanachandra and Graham in Picton. I was honoured to plant an apple tree, or rather, to assist in planting one in their front yard orchard. Planting bushes and trees is always an auspicious thing to do, by any cultural standards, what to speak of Vedic ways.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxkDfQxAyl0/?igshid=1ns9xrwhnsmqa

These two twins treated my companions, a retired Gujarati couple, Radha Gopinatha and Yasomati, and Connor and myself, to their homemade black-bean veggie burgers. Good job done.

Finally we drove off to the town of Gananoque, population 5200, to rest at The Gananoque Inn, a place where past Canadian Prime Ministers have rested their weary bodies while travelling.  It is a beaut of a place.  As a construction worker on-site at a new condo project put it (as we were on a brief waterfront trek), "How are you boys doing on this lovely day in paradise?" 

We looked from the water-docks over the St. Lawrence and had to agree with him.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Wednesday, May 15th, 2019

Colborne, Ontario

Two Farms, The City

There we lay among the red trillium—careful not to damage, as they are not only the provincial flower, but an endangered species—under a huge hemlock with shady cedars all around.  The presence of no bugs made it heaven, while Vayu, the wind-god, set some trees in dancing motion.  We didn't want to leave the spot.

Jai Chaitanya was our guide and owner of the forest, which was set very recessed from Old Shelter Valley Road.  One of our purposes was to harvest fiddle-heads, but unfortunately we were about three days late.  The delicious green curlicues, which sprout out of the ground, had unwound themselves to be the ferns they’re supposed to be.  We spotted more patches of trillium, this time pure white. Also, a wild turkey strut across the hayfield, sensing us as intruders in his wilderness territory.

It was all about nature.  We won't fail to mention the new calf born last Saturday.

"Coyotes do come around," said Jai, but no harm yet.  Adrien, on the other hand, on his farm up the road said, "They got some of our sheep."

Adrian runs Kaley farms where kale is grown, harvested, cleaned, dried and dipped in flavoured cashew dip.  His product is distributed all across the country.  He is entrepreneurial—a great farmer/businessman.  He is also a protector of the animals, like Jai.

Back to the city where preparations/decorations are underway for an event tomorrow—an upanayanam, something like a bar-mitzvah for boys. The highlight will be kirtan, chanting, the usual lovely truth.

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Tuesday, May 14th, 2019

Clearview, Ontario

To Another Farm

Rustic settings, fine ekadasifood, great hospitality, and reminiscences of bygone years as sprightly young monks, filled a good chunk of our day.  It was my first time at Jiva and Sita's farm where primarily plants are the focus.  Nice land. Rolling hills.  The gracious Lake Huron is in sight from the veranda where you get also a view of ponds, sumac, cattails, vintage apple trees, barns and greenhouses all on the property.

It was my first visit here, and a first kirtanto share in the wide-open family room.

Author and Vedic astrologer, Rami Bleckt, wife Marina, and their young four-year-old daughter graced us.  I mean, these or all Bhaktiyogis, who have a good time together.  We left with wishes of more of this.  Gatherings of like-minded people are a social trait of man.  When the purpose is spiritual, it goes so much deeper.

Our wrap-up visit, before heading to the big city, was Wasaga Beach, a fourteen kilometre stretch of sand, making it the longest beach on a fresh-water body in the world.  This I had to show to Kalakanta, as it is just another one of those awe-inspiring features of the area.  I dared Billy and Connor to dive in, but their chicken-hearted nature showed itself. Lol.

It was great to be in the company of USA born Pragosh, who made a name for himself in the ’70s when a young monk distributed much devotional literature at the Chicago Airport.

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Monday, May 13th, 2019

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Getting Better

Kalakanta, Uttama, Connor and I took a drive to the famous Niagara Falls.  For Kala and Connor it was their first glimpse and gawk; for me, a needed breath of fresh air.  https://www.instagram.com/p/BxcGEq1A5qD/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1t8j3ru9hnzzg

I do owe many of you an accounting of my health condition, which very recently could have been life threatening if not checked in time.

On April 24th, 2019, I woke up from sleep, in the town of Flacq, Mauritius, with a new kind of pain.  It was particularly felt on the right side of my lower chest area.  With the help of the local community, I was assisted in different ways.  I was given pain killers, went for x-rays, went for massage, and yes, did some walking near the beach.  It was something to do with my lungs and caused some breathing difficulties; just going up stairs was a challenge.  Sitting was fine—lying down, not so.

When I got back to Canada, I tried a chiropractic session, then a CAT Scan. It revealed that some blood clotting was happening in my lower lungs.  Blood thinners, extra rest, some walking, and overall pacing myself seems to be helping.  The latest CAT Scan shows improvement and the clotting is subsiding.

I believe the most important contributing factor to my improved health is the prayers, mantras and kirtans—which I am not deserving of—that were dedicated to this cause.  I thank you all immensely. 

Currently, I'm having few breathing issues, less pain on my side, and am carrying on almost to normal capacity.  I just have to be cautious not to exert too much.  I try to keep up the walking as much as possible.  It is a great solace.  Thank you! Thank you!

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Sunday, May 12th, 2019

Brampton/Toronto

The Most Astonishing Thing

I walked a bit of Tottenham, and then we drove to Brampton, then Toronto, Ontario, on this fine but cloudy Mother’s Day.  I introduced the latter two communities to Kalakanta, but before doing so read a passage from the magazine “Spirit Soul” from   https://iskconnews.org/new-magazine-spirit-soul-makes-bhakti-yoga-accessible,6602/   It was a powerful message.  

“There once was a treacherous being guarding a lake that contained the only water for hundreds of miles, and King Yudhisthira was thirsty.  This being was preventing him from drinking.  First, the king was told he had to answer some questions, and then the water would be his to drink.

“Ask your questions ,” he said.

“Tell me, what is quicker than the wind?”

“The mind.”

“And tell me what is more numerous than the blades of grass in the fields?”

“The thoughts that spring from the mind.”

“What is it that when lost, causes no regret?”

“Anger.”

“Who appears to be alive but is among the walking dead?”

“A miser.”

“And what is heavier than the mountains?”

“The love of one’s mother; the word of one’s father.”

“Tell me, what is the greatest possession?”

“Knowledge.”

“What is our prime duty in life?”

“To seek the welfare of all beings.”

“And finally, tell me this, what is the most astonishing thing in the world?”

Yudhisthira considered the question, becoming lost for a moment in its many possible answers. Finally he said, “Death is lurking all around us, yet we behave as though we will live forever.  What can be more astonishing than this?”

He was allowed to drink.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Saturday, May 11th, 2019

Caledon, Ontario 

It Was Heaven

Kalakanta came all the way from Mayapura, India, to be with us.  With origins from Brazil, he took to the path of Bhaktiyears ago, and has adopted and adapted to a more simple way of life, and been blessed to be the Minister of Cow Protection and Agriculture for ISKCON. We are fortunate to have him inspire us with our various farm initiatives in central Canada, which will soon culminate in a Farmer’s Conference in Quebec on the 18^th.

Taking a stretch of the Great Trail, Vishal, the owner of the first farm to visit this week, Kala (for short), Connor and I made that walk.  The attention went to conversation. Questions were seriously lodged toward Kala.

“How can we make this organic life with plants, food, and bovines work in this crazy world of capitalism?”

We were absorbed in this intriguing topic as we trekked through farmlands, cedars and hardwoods.  Kala shared with us what he has seen, heard and participated in with alternative cultural endeavours around the world.  He speaks from experience, and naturally, wherever he goes, he picks up on concepts and ways of doing things in every new place he visits.  

I was proud of the fact that we cleared seven kilometres in what appeared to be no time at all.  The condition of pain felt from some blood clotting is subsiding, and I hardly felt that ‘catching a breath’ feeling. 

Our walking journey ended at Tottenham, at Vishal’s actual home, for kirtan, food and more conversation, and with more guests.  We indulged in the best of prasadam, blessed food, including dairy from ahimsa(non-violent) milk taken from Guernsey and Gir cows.  It was heaven! https://www.instagram.com/p/BxWmgfRgtWK/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=8jwlxptti6bt

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Friday, May 10th, 2019

Hilton Hills, Toronto

Artists Forgotten

Major walking today consisted of a two kilometre walk and dip into a sunken park that leads to the Studio Building.  Constructed in 1914 is a three storey brick edifice that has historic value (for Canada at least) and is just around the corner from our ashram.

Before I became a monk, I was a fine arts student, and I had a weak spot for the Canadian Group of Seven, impressionistic artists of natural sceneries.  Lawren Harris was my favourite.  Well, this is the building they met in, gathered inspiration, and where, I imagine, they did some teaching.  The Studio Building.

When I come upon a landscape of Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Tom Thompson (pre-Group of Seven), and the others, it hurls me out into the countryside to its smells, sights, and textures and I become peaceful.

I asked my two walking companions, and they are Canadian, if they had heard of the Group of Seven, and embarrassingly (I’m the one who’s embarrassed) they gave me a look as if I were asking a much younger generation person:  “Do you know the Beatles?” (Surprise! Surprise!) “ I think I heard of them” is what you sometimes get.

Anyway, readers here may want to reference these great artists who gave some identity or signature, artistically, to this part of the world. http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/canadian/The-Group-of-Seven.html

We returned to the ashram for a birthday party to honour Dharma Prana, who himself is a ‘work of heart’, and is very colourful.  He suffered a stroke sometime back, and we love him.  He turned seventy and he’s doing quite well.  May he live long.  And may we not forget the Supreme Artist.  https://www.instagram.com/p/BxTVqkjg9_9/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=c6zca0hdmbsx

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Thursday, May 9th, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

CAT Scan Positive

“I like the colour of your robes.  They look comfortable,” remarked the assistant at the CAT Scan Unit at Woman’s College Hospital.  I assured the friendly lady that indeed the clothes are great.  I was lying on a bench with my arms positioned over my head, this massive donut-of-a-thing came close.  

“Take a breath,” said the unit.  “Now hold.” “Breathe normal.”  Three of those directions I followed as a heat sensation came to me at one point.  I was warmed in the same way at Joseph Brandt Hospital last Friday.  “You will feel like you peed all over.”

Procedure completed.  Connor and I walked over to the Passport facility on Victoria Avenue.  Naturally there was a queue, not long, but it was there. I showed my temporary passport produced in Pretoria, and the lady at the booth handed me my fresh new ‘permanent’ passport.  That was unnatural.  No sweat. No charge.

“Just like that?” I asked.

“Just like that.  Just sign here and you’re good to go.”

I was all smiles.  Connor and I proceeded back to the ashram.  I rested.  I worked by phone.  He studied. I chatted with temple goers and then with Govinda patrons over dinner;  that included having a moment with David, one of the servers. https://www.instagram.com/p/BxQvVeVgfcv/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=17l6kog3krqz2 

Stephen came by.  A nice meal it was.  Then we read. He’s got an operatic voice.  We chose some passages from the Mahabharata.  

By 8:30 p.m., I’m finished.  Connor massaged my calves when my doctor, Dr. Pandith called.  

“The reading of your CAT Scan is positive. No clotting in the abdomen….” 

May the Source be with you! 

5 km

Wednesday, May 8th, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

Receiving

I’m receiving many calls, and many letters wishing me well with my physical condition of pulmonary embolism.  It’s quite overwhelming, the love I’m feeling that’s coming my way.

More tests, cat-scans and such will allow us to explore more how severe and how curable is the condition.  There is pain, like the all-pervasive discomfort of this world, but with some care, we will try to alleviate as much as possible the symptoms while trying to address the cause.

Amongst the messages I received today, I just want to share one from a fine well-wisher from Ohio.  Kaustubha, who told me of some good news.  It made me content to hear that, well, as he put, “In America, they don’t do many things right but there is one good thing…” I’m not necessarily in argument with this opening paragraph from his letter, but he claims they are planning an official east/west coast trail for walkers and cyclists.  https://www.bicycling.com/news/a27395751/great-american-rail-trail-route-revealed/

Now that is good news, but it’s not that I’ll entertain walking it one day.  I already took a whimsical trail along highways from Boston to San Fransisco, but I’m thoroughly happy for those who will take advantage of such a noble project.  This will boost the notion of pilgrimage and vision questing.  It’s good for people.

I like happy stories.  It was great to see Patrick today.  A real seeker he is.  It was his first time to our temple/ashram.  Happiness also came at an early start when we read the passage of “Krishna Teases Rukmini” from the book Bhagavatam.

May the Source be with you!

2km 

Tuesday, May 7th, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

Just For An Hour

“Connor, we’ll just go for an hour!” on foot, I meant. It turned out to be two hours later before we completed today’s sauntering.  I insisted on staying on level ground.  And the ground and grass, we did fathom, and at intervals, peered at that beauty of a blue sky.

At David Balfour Park, the reservoir is under renovation, with barrier walls making it impossible to peek through.  Some workers happened to be on their coffee break, which was conveniently positioned on the pedestrian path…our path.

“When will you guys finish?” I asked about their construction work.  I felt there was an opportunity for laymen and men of the cloth to chum a bit.

“We’ll move out o’ here in a couple of days,” said the one man, jokingly. 

“Yeah, right.  Looks like a full summer job.”

“That’s actually more like it,” he admitted.

Another one of the fellows with a hard hat expressed, “Hey, did anyone ever tell you, you resemble Kevin Spacey?”

“I’ve been told, yes, but these days…’that’s not so good!’” At least three of them plus myself, all said the same phrase—“that’s not so good,” at the same time, as if in chorus.  It was quite unique. Only Connor stood there with just a chuckle, at least joining us for the laugh.  

Poor Kevin.  I hope the actor may overcome his weakness.  We all have them.

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Monday, May 6th, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

True Colours

So, the rule is to walk a stretch daily. “Not alone,” cautioned my doctor. It makes total sense.  

Raymond and I took to grooving, at least moving, through the park where you have this blossoming happening. I asked him what these blossoms do for him.

“Yeah, uh, blossoms, for me, are a symbol of the good times in life, so we should take advantage of the good K.C. (Krishna Conscious) times. Blossoms don’t last forever.”

Raymond was referring to opportunities that come and go. So take advantage!

We walked farther on, but it was not long before we came upon these fresh and ‘real’ potted flowers. Their colour and fragrance…so aromatic. What those flowers tell is that we must be real and genuine; address our conditions of human frailties whether anger, lust, greed or jealousy. Address our weeds and stand in line with the flower of integrity.  

Let us shine, shine, shine and generate something real.

On Mondays, our small group of resident devotees get together for an hour of reading and discussing passages from the book, Nectar of Devotion.  This evening we were looking at examples of the topic of devotion surpassing liberation. There were so many quotes from devotional sources supporting this idea of service being beyond freedom. To me, these quotes were like blossoms to my ears, encouraging us to pull out the best in us. If you want to be a real ‘flower child’ then get right down to service.

May the Source be with you!

3 km

Sunday, May 5th, 2019

Brampton, Ontario

High Rating

The birds. It was their hour as Connor and I took that brief stroll by the creek.  Gold finches—a couple——settled on a perfect perch.  Then a red-winged black bird soared along flaunting his colours. From a lamp post moved a predator bird, of a falcon breed, I guess, and he had in his clutches, a fresh kill of another bird.  A second lamp post where he landed looked like his breakfast table.  A layer of feathers lay there.

Okay, from Brampton, Kingsley drove us to Toronto for a wedding.  Yura and Sashya are already legally locked in, but the Vedic ceremony was their wish yet to be fulfilled.  That was this morning.  Excellent! The date was set for "…when you’ll be around," said Yura to me some months ago.

Some meaningful meetings, I took part in, included plans for more and more weddings for the coming months.

Now, it was time to get out.  My doctor, J.M., we'll call him, suggested some walking is good, but slow, not much, no strain.  I took Connor to the spot where, in 1995, I decided to take my first cross-Canada walk. It was in a ravine just next to Mount Pleasant Cemetery, and a special feature for me at that cemetery is a natural piano-shaped tombstone where the Bach virtuoso, Glenn Gould, lies to this day.

The weather was great at 19 degrees Celsius.  The whole world was out with optimism.  The entire day from bird to Glenn got my high rating.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Saturday, May 4th, 2019

Brampton, Ontario

Glad to be Away from the Smokes

On Bay Street, Connor and I came upon a blown-up photo, by the window display of a gallery, of Keith Richards puffing on a cigarette, or some other mode of smoking. This iconic musician from "The Rolling Stones," looks in the pic as if he ‘ain't got too much satisfaction’. All praises to the music he and his buddies produced, and in general, the music moguls of his period, who broke cultural barriers globally.  That is what rock 'n roll did.  I certainly ponder   whether the sex, drugs and rock 'n roll movement made inroads towards an enhanced life of shanti, peace.  I really question that.

Connor and I walked farther on Bathurst later, to give ease to our assigned driver, for an evening sangha.  It was new territory for Connor, our Edmonton boy, as we took to the ravines going in a northwest angle.  We were edging our way toward Eglinton Avenue, before we actually hitched that ride.

The sangha had commenced at 6:30 p.m., at the home of Sanatana Sevak and Kamala, with a crammed group of enthusiasts for kirtan and a talk on being wise, according to the Gita.  The group really took to smiles, at ours and their dancing session.  Then there was great prasadam.  I would say what we did was a wholesome approach to a Saturday mini-fest.  No one felt the need to smoke, yet we were rocking in my estimation.

A third brief walk took us along a creek near the home of our hosts, Rajasuya and Surabhi. Before we embarked on a final one-plus kilometre, one local boy shooting basketballs with his buddy remarked, "Oh, that guy (in the robes) is here to bless the house." I overheard and thought it was cute.

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Friday, May 3rd, 2019

Burlington, Ontario

Not the Best News but Laugh Anyway

Connor and I took the commuter GO train westbound to the Burlington area, there to meet up with Dr. Pandith (aka Jagannath Misra).  Apart from yesterday’s chiropractic visit, I had scheduled a physical check up with a Dr. Singh.  Tests showed all to be fairly good, but between the two medicine men, Pandith and Singh, there arose a question about my recent flare-up on the right side.

Pandith drove me to Joseph Brant Hospital for a cat-scan which revealed something to be concerned about.  Some blood-clotting has occurred that has risen  into  the chest area.  I trace it to the flight to Mauritius.  It is dangerous when lungs are hit by this type of blood issue.  So now I’m on blood thinners, and for my own health's sake, restricted in travel, by air especially, for a good month or more.

When I reflect back on this recent trip to South Africa and Mauritius, it had too many stress elements to it, which was however, no fault of anyone.  I want to thank those persons who helped me to explore these physical hiccups and for their advice on remedial regimen.  I will for the time being reduce stressful travel and continue daily walks, but at a slower pace.  I can't walk with gusto.  It affects my breathing.  Coughing or sneezing also puts a little risk of pinching in the chest.

I'm going to ask my friends not to put out too many good jokes because that also challenges the pressure on the chest for now.  I just got over hearing a good one by W.C. Fields the other day, and you might like it.  Someone asked him, "Are you busy?" His answer, "I'm about as busy as a pickpocket in a nudist colony."

May the Source be with you!

2 km