Monday 10 August 2015

Friday, July 24th, 2015


Friday, July 24th, 2015
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

A Chat With The Mayor

As a service, devotional service, intuition told me to keep the mayor in friendly conversation.  Initially I was told that Saskatoon’s mayor, Donald J. Atchison, would only be present for the opening ceremony of our mini Chariot Fest.  Well, he was present for that but then he decided to walk with us in the procession as well. 

Now, some colleagues might say that I was in maya (another phrase for sin) or offensive for not chanting along the way but I thought it was my duty to build relations with the gentleman before suggesting he do more than he’s already done. 

Our conversation was pertinent though.  I was telling him how I’ve been on the road, crammed on a bus so that opened the doors for him to talk about the hockey tournaments he was involved in and how he and the league would travel by bus.  Behind the driver, there were 8 seats in the front.  The balance of the coach line were bunks for sleeping, three tiered, and finally there was a toilet and a sink.

That sounded familiar.

I then asked him about the sport, hockey, itself and where it has gone in recent years.  Like many who love the game, he expressed that it has become very commercial and has lost some integrity.

“How can you justify to a normal person a player in the league earning 6 to 7 million dollars a year?”

Like hockey, which had its humble beginnings, everything starts with a sincere intent but it can become corrupted in due course.  I mentioned that even a spiritual community can have its beginnings with pure motives but somehow the integrity can become lost.  “That is so for every endeavour.”  The mayor smiled.  “So it becomes necessary to refocus,” I continued. 

Mayor Atchison walked with us for the length of the procession culminating at a park, South Saskatchewan River – a lovely spot.  He offered kind words on the stage wishing all well.  We appreciate his attendance.

Kasyapa Muni and his wife, Panchami, are the two real heroes of the event.  Running in its second year, the Chariot Fest attracted over 1,000 happy folks.

 
May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

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