Tuesday 7 January 2014

Monday, January 6th, 2014

Houston, Texas

At the US Customs

At the Toronto Airport, US Customs, station number 9, I was asked by an officer, a woman, “Where are you flying to?”

“To Houston.”

“What do you do?”

“I’m a monk.”

“You don’t mind being asked questioned by a woman, because I had two monks here last week who refused to deal with me.” (She wasn’t defiant, just relaying her experience…)

“Well, ma’am, that must be a different order.  I’m a Hare Krishna monk, we love everyone.”

She smiled, which is a rarity, coming from a customs officer.  She had a few more brief questions and was content with my answers.

Yes, we do love everyone, at least, try to.  No one is your friend and no one is your enemy.  We are all spirits, but with different attitudes.  I have to be concerned with my own.

In the evening, it was preplanned that I meet with a cast of potentials, youth who would audition for parts for the weekend drama, “Little Big Ramayan”.  The volunteers that showed up were both young men and women, average age in their teens.  The story calls for male and female characters.  Sorry, Shakespeare, I usually don’t have an all male cast; I use both genders.  I try to love everyone.

As our guru, Srila Prabhupada, had done, he accepted all, and for those who consented to the Vaishnava principles, he turned them into ladies and gentlemen.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

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