Monday 31 October 2011

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

Warming Up

Burlington, Ontario

In fighting the common cold, I’ve found that walking is the way to combat it. It warms up the machinery, the body. I spent the night at a devotee doctor’s home, and mentioned to him that I’ll likely get up at an early morning dark hour and make my way down the Burlington trail, so I did. I warmed up my heart to Krishna through chanting, while warming up my body through mobilizing the legs. Along this beach side of Lake Ontario, rabbits were leaping about in happy numbers. I didn’t seem as a threat to them, it was their territory and their time at 4 AM. They were willing to share it.

A young couple (humans this time) passed by, and I wished them well, “Good morning, or good evening, whichever way you look at it”. That remark sparked some giggles. They got warmed up and so did my rabbit friends in the excitement at Fishermans’ Pier. For the balance of the day, my concentration was focusing on warming up to our guru, Srila Prabhupada. On November 14th, 1977, he passed away in Vrindavan, India, and corresponding to the lunar calendar, the anniversary happens to fall on this day. With ambivalence, I approach this day feeling cool and warm at the same time. It is understandable that sadness hits the emotion. As the day rolled out, with three programs attended, and all in his honour, I felt a growth of appreciation for his great contributions to the world. As I was hearing others speak, and I was obliged to the same, the heart softened somewhat. I have moved from Burlington to Toronto to Brampton and then to Mississauga for these events. I guess you could say that something stoked up inside. It is possible to warm a cold hearted someone like myself when the topic is so endearing as the pastimes of guru. One reaches the inevitable; you can’t help but feel the chills go away.

9 KM

No comments: