Friday 30 December 2022

Monday, December 12, 2022

Toronto/Vancouver

Another Set of Beads

Enroute to Vancouver, and I’m waiting at the Toronto Airport, Gate 34 for Air Canada Flight 111. A Middle-Eastern fellow came to sit across from where I was sitting. The first thing he did after settling down, was whip out a set of beads for his meditation. He began a soft utterance while fingering on his beads. Our eyes met. We nodded. Then I revealed my beads as I was also meditating on my japa beads.

“Is he a devotee?” I queried in my mind.

His phone rang, and he answered. It’s not Hindi. He hung up. So, then I gathered enough courage to ask, “How many beads are on your string?”

“One hundred and one,” he answered.

“Oh! We’re close. I have one hundred and eight. What are you praying?”

“For the world,” he said abruptly.

“It’s messed up!”

He agreed. Our conversation continued.

“Where are you from?” I asked.

“Iran. You?”

“Canada. Southern Ontario.”

I asked him his name, which I forgot. He explained covid killed his business, which involved Persian rugs. It just so happens that his shop was located at Bay and Cumberland and that I’ve seen him more than once in the shop while I was on a japa walk. Small world. A little more about his beads – well, he explained that he is a Zoroastrian, who worships God Ahura. This faith emphasizes a never-ending battle between good and evil. It’s nice to look at other approaches to the Divine.

May the Source be with you!

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