Edmonton, Alberta
People Like the Stories
Spiritual seekers at Southminster Steinhauer United Church (my
venue) were my audience for a talk on "Tails from Trails". That was last night. The congregants who came were really
sweet. I think they found the life of a mendicant
walking across Canada very interesting—everything from the practical aspects of
trekking day to day, without stoppage, to the theology I've adopted, which
drove me on with a passion. Mantra
meditation followed the talk, with a slew of questions.
Tonight a program of the same sort was held at Grand Cafe on
108 Avenue. Fadi, a Lebanese man, owns
and operates the Café—an amazing good-hearted guy. The place filled up with attendees occupying
the whole space. So, I told of my tales,
some new ones and some repeated from the venue yesterday. They were stories of kindness along the road,
of life-threatening occurrences, of sex propositions, of pain and of glory, all
sourced from the memories of my U.S. walk and the four executed across Canada, Vancouver
Island to Newfoundland.
I met people there who have given up their cars in favour of
walking. That's progressive. My kind of people. I hinted at messages from the Gita,
and I dedicated my talks, in both locations, to George Harrison, who died of
lung cancer eighteen years ago, and how he inspired me to the Krishna thing and
to eventually becoming a monk.
I also mentioned that George's son, Dhani, had a best friend
known as Benjamin Barnes, and how he, Benji, graciously, was my main support
person on my second Canada walk in 2003.
Thank you to him.
May the Source be with you!
7 km
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