Wednesday 26 August 2015

Saturday, August 22nd, 2015

Saturday, August 22nd, 2015
Pelee Island, Ontario

Happiest

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…” I always liked this musical piece and lyrics by George Gershwin. When I discovered kirtan this piece couldn’t match up to it, although Gershwin’s genius is something to very much respect.

“The livin’” came easy to us today. It was a summer outing once again with a gathering of Krishna devotees from Cleveland, Michigan, Windsor, Toronto, and Brampton. A trip to Pelee Island took the shape of a ferry ride. Once reaching this peaceful piece of land out in Lake Erie we picnicked veggie style. We then swam, hiked, held kirtan, and danced to the point of hearts jumping. It was a meeting of sweet, sweet persons coming together. As the song goes, “One of these mornin’s, you’re gonna rise up singin’”. That spirit of upliftment was amongst us.

It would not be an error to say that the highlight of all our affairs today, including consumption of the pasta and bean prep, was the chanting on the return ferry. We chose up on the deck as our spot to chant, where passengers could browse and watch, tap toes, and move the torso to the sound of Sahil’s beats on mridanga and Gaura’s voice with harmonium. People were glued for that hour long redefinition of party-time.

Yes, indeed, when we reached the mainland, docked, and made our way to the parking lot, nearby, at a patio bar, people were also listening to music. But frankly, the sound fell on my ears as mundane. It was the live rendition of “Hey Goodlookin’ What You Got Cookin’” by Hank Williams. I took a moment of glad relief, feeling spared by kirtan. I could have been one of those people sitting at the bar, lonely, hankering for a sense of belonging had I not been captured by mantra. It was one of the happiest days of my life.


May the Source be with you!

7 km

 

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