Wter Gifts
Serpent River, Ontario
Here you hear the loons crying out. The cedars and the white pines stand out, and wild raspberry bushes are saying, “I’ve got plenty of fruits, take some, they’re free!”
I was always
curious about the village of Serpent River, with a population that can’t be too
much, and which is a First Nations community of the Obijway race. My heart
pined for years to walk through this off the highway grid village. So I left
the picnic area where our Krishna Culture tour bus was parked, hoping for some
interaction with the locals. To get to the village I went east bound on
Canada’s longest road (actually, the world’s longest), the Trans Canada
Highway, when a car pulled over. Peter and his partner came out of their car
and offered water. Then, entering onto Serpent River Road west, I met an old
Husky dog, he’s friendly. He decided to come along by my side for a good long
while until he got distracted.
Once having trekked
the length of the quaint town, passing by homes, playgrounds, and even their
powwow grounds, I dared myself to walk back via the railway track. Surely no
one hits this trail, I though. I was wrong. Coming down the tracks with trees
to both sides of it, was a young dude on his way to work. He was surprised to
see me as well. For him, the track is his daily route. His name is Brad and
he’s an Ojibway. I also got to meet Dale and his mother Gloria who are the
actual owners of the husky dog, whom I had innocently lured away. While
chatting with Dale and Gloria on their veranda, someone called in saying they
spotted their dog at a daycare so I was off the hook, and wouldn’t be accused
by anyone for losing their pet. In reality we are all lost, lost souls being
separated from the Divine.
I spent some time
with our youth philosophizing and answering their questions, swimming and
practicing for our drama. Then it was time for me to hit the road again. I just
hate waiting for everyone to get ready. It was remarkable how motorists
responded with generosity by offering water. One woman tossed a bottle over the
creek in order for me to catch it. If it wasn’t water, then a donation came to
me to get water. The final offer of water came from a car load of young men.
They passed by me on the highway and were curious to meet their first monk
ever. They pulled over and had questions. “We were just curious why you were
walking.”
“To promote
pilgrimage, simple living, and to get clean inside.” Somehow they got it. One
of the fellows asked, “Is it so that we don’t get too attached to things?”
That’s hitting the nail on the head. These young guys who just recently
graduated were inquisitive and I was so happy to meet them. “Please correspond
with me if you have any questions.” I then left to continue on foot, and they
on wheels.
20 Km
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