Friday, November 20th, 2020

Ramsden Park, Toronto

 

It Makes A Difference

 

The first day of the MANtra Retreat was a smashing success. Anuttama is just the best host. Tomorrow will be most exciting—a good speaker from the UK, Bhuta Bhavana, who raises the topic of empowerment. Check it out, 10 AM. Register if you haven’t, gentlemen.

 

At noon today one of my good friends from Vaughn came over and accepted two garlands for his Ganesh deity. He was proudly letting me know that he lost 35 lbs due to diet change and walking 10 kilometres per day.

 

I later came upon a tall fellow, a bit tipsy, wearing a Blue Jays baseball cap, over the course of my night walk.

 

“Are you a Shaman monk?” he asked.

 

“No, a Krishna monk.”

 

He looked at my beads in my hand. “For meditation?” he asked.

 

“I’m praying for the world, which is in a pandemic.”

 

“What’s normal? What is the real norm?” he continued.

 

“Eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That’s normal amongst all forms of life,” I said.

 

“But, you know, we’re all unique and different,” he said.

 

“I agree. I’m Bhaktimarga Swami. And your name?”

 

“Does it make any difference?”

 

“Yes, it does, because we’re all unique and different,” I replied.

 

“Well, I was raised Catholic.”

 

“So was I, so let’s do something for God,” I encouraged.

 

He wasn’t listening too much. That’s what drinking does. It makes you weak; incoherent as such. All glories to the real Blue Jays.

 

May the Source be with you!

4 km