Toronto, Ontario
Evening Walk
On my evening walk on Yonge Street, it was a homeless man
who took some notice. "Monk!
Monk!" He prolonged the sound with a slight tone of yearning.
And when I turned around to the fellow (about thirty) seated
on a blanket on the cold sidewalk, I was expecting the next round to be: "Got
some change?" But it didn't
happen.
He cupped his hands, one into the other, and placed them to
his heart. At that point I don't believe
he had any expectations except to be noticed.
There was a contentedness on his round, lightly-bearded face.
My last reaction toward him was a blessing smile and if I
could read his heart, for the moment, it was sufficient for him. Krishna, please take care of him.
During the balance of the walk, I really made no other
connections with people. They appeared
to be in that cold, selfish, Christmas-shopping mode, including the
students. When I was strolling through
Queen's Park, I had hoped for a nod or some response from my "Hello!"
But no one even uttered, "Monk! Monk!" Phones and head-phones were the
culprits.
Only after an hour did a woman with her leashed puppy (breed
unknown to me), happy in his winter coat, offer some sweetness. "How are you?" was her
communication.
I have met nice folks who come by the temple. They are all enthusiastic, some of them first
timers. Maybe there's something about a
temple atmosphere that brings out the best in all. Well, for today, the streets were full of
grim people, except for two. Why the two
aloe vera potted plants in my room show more reciprocation when I give their
feet some water. I can almost hear them
say, "Thank you!"
May the Source be with you!
4 km
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