Thursday January 15th, 2015

Toronto, Ontario

 

To Catch a Thief?

 

 

A cold spell hit Canada, but with a quick pace I knew I could keep warm.  I just had to be outdoors and not get intimidated by it.  It was night time and I made my way to Yonge Street.  With fingers in pocket, the nip of the night still managed to strike the fingertips.  I decided to take a warm-up break by poking into the Shoppers Drug Mart, a pharmaceutical chain in the country.  There not only drugs are sold, but confectioneries, cosmetics, daily newspapers and glossy, gossipy rag mags.

 

Instead of just standing there, I helped myself to a peek of today's news.  As I told my peer Vaisesika Prabhu on the phone today, "I look at the newspaper at least once a week to check on what's going on that's so bad that makes my world, with its challenges and problems, seem puny."

 

So I browsed at the latest fundamentalist violence; this time to do with gunmen in Paris. 

 

"Sickening," I thought.

 

I then walked up and down 2 or 3 isles and landed my eyes on a colorful depiction of Biblical pics in the form of a book.  I was fascinated by the rendering of Caine and Abel.  The 2 sons of Adam and Eve didn't get along.  Abel was the carnivorous one and Caine was the vegetarian.  I was awed that the herbivorous one became angry to the point of killing his brother.

 

I then decided to brave the cold after a sufficient warming.  I was wearing my civilian clothes as it's practical in such weather conditions.  I left the store bypassing the queue of customers and exited through the automatic doors.  I paced a few meters North on Yonge for my return to the ashram, then crossed the road.

 

With my hood on I couldn't hear someone rushing behind approaching me with an urgent "Sir! Sir!"  I turned around and a young man with groomed facial hair stood before me while trying to catch his breath.  He flashed a security ID card in front of me.  "I'm with Shoppers. Security!  Do you have something in your pockets?"

 

"Why?" I asked with an air of innocence.

 

"You were walking around and picking up things,” he accused.

 

"I'll show you what I have in my pockets."  From my left hand I pulled out my keys.  From my right I pulled out my japa (meditation) beads.  "I don't steal.  I'm a monk and I take my lifestyle seriously."

 

A little embarrassed, the young man then returned to duty. I ventured off as well, thinking there is only one good and honest thief in the world - the One who steals your heart, God.

 

May the Source be with you!

 

6 KM