Friday, December 18th, 2015

Friday, December 18^th, 2015
Pearl City, Hawaii

Walking Hawaii

My godbrother, Narahari, could understand 100% what I was talking about when I mentioned hip issues while walking for hours along the road’s slant. He said, “It’s like the beach, it affects your hips and knees. We’re getting too old for that.” He’s 67, I’m four years behind. But even a young spring chicken of a fellow could feel the challenge on his skeleton walking along the slant of a river or the slant of a beach.

Fortunately today, on a snap decision to go on a moderate marathon walk, the trail through the guts of Honolulu – industrial, residential, and even the dwellings of homeless people under bridges, was relatively flat.

I managed with the assistance of Madhan, and a support vehicle, to make it through a 12 mile stretch. Moving along the northern edge of Pearl Harbor Base, and up to Pearl City Mall. The people, I find, are generally mild and timid, but respectful, and as what would be expected, the youth are wired up to ‘listen in’ and be ‘zoned out’. In the evening, our planned outdoor kirtan at Waikiki Beach was cancelled due to high winds and rain. In its stead, our group of devotees gathered to read, as I charaded out the story of Krishna and Princess Rukmini’s elopement. A passage that really grounded us was a statement by author, Srila Prabhupada, wherein he says, “A peaceful mind is the basis for becoming truthful, clean, equipoised, self controlled, and tolerant.”

May the Source be with you!

12 miles / 20 km