Wednesday 8 April 2020

Tuesday, March 31st, 2020


Toronto, Ontario

Questions!

I make a point of taking a walk every afternoon. Reasons? I need the good Spring air. I need to connect with others who are feeling the same need, and I do it at a solid distance with a glance and a smile.

With temperatures above 0°C,  I find it quite pleasant; no coat required. With just my kurta and dhoti (upper and lower garments), I fair fine. I pull my beads out from the bead bag, not only to chant on them—uttering the maha mantra—but to let other pedestrians there in the park know that I’m praying, because chanting is praying.

Is there a need for prayer? Why yes! There’s a certain gloom in the atmosphere, and a feeling that people require both distance and closeness at the same time. Questions are in everyone’s mind. Questions like: “What is happening? How long will this go on for? Will I be able to go back to work/school? When will everything normalize? And what will normal be?“

I know for the time being that moving my legs along and chanting the mantra brings me a sense of security and certainty. I wish I could share the chant with others and help them deem it as important as the ambling they are doing.

I wonder if people feel some responsibility for the rampant virus. “Are we doing something wrong?” ”When this is all over will I, as an individual, change some of the ways I do things?“ “Can I blame one group of people for this deadly COVID 19 or are we all to blame.“

May the Source be with you!
3 km. 


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