I was on my usual walk in the fields behind the local school in the village when I met a lady neighbour who lives a couple of houses away from the temple. She was with her two dogs, going on her walk.
In the past this lady never wanted to have any dialogue with devotees besides “Hi”, or, “Good morning”, but today was different.
I asked her a few questions about dogs. She immediately felt comfortable to speak. The lady went on sharing her whole life with me.
She began with the story of her abusive father, annoying brother, a husband who happened to be gay and the sudden passing away of her mother 20 years ago. She was mentally scarred by all these experiences.
I simply stood and listened.
She spoke about her understanding of karma, her desire to explore Buddhism and her love for nature.
The conversation went on for 30 minutes. The dogs looked at me as if trying to tell me to let the lady go so they could get on with their walk.
I mentally responded- “It is not me! I’m simply listening.”
I shared bhakti philosophy and thanked her for sharing her life with me.
For a sixty-year-old lady to open up about her life challenges was a big step closer to Krishna.
I was about to leave when she said- “By the way, my two cousins became Hare Krishna’s when they were 17 and 15. Now they are older men, married and still practising their religion. They are from Ireland, where I was born.”
There was no more time to speak. The dogs were itching to go, and the lady was ready to move on. She revealed more than I expected and more than she planned.
The lady who had never wanted to speak to devotees is becoming more favourable. It was meant to happen today. Krishna definitely had his hand in it.
I walked back to the temple, reflecting on the encounter. This lady has devotees in her family! Isn’t this far out?
It is not by chance that she has a house next to the temple and has the opportunity to interact with devotees.
Although my daily walk is primarily for exercise and a time to be by myself, it is also a preaching opportunity at the same time.
Walking around in a dhoti, with a tilak on my forehead and a japa mala in my hand attracts attention. More than a decade ago, when I started my walks in the village, I was a strange monk with saffron robes, but now I’m part of the village life. All the neighbours know me by now, and many are slowly allowing me to enter their lives.
Who knows what else I will discover about our villagers?
Maybe they are simply waiting for someone from the temple to approach them and hear their story. Perhaps some of them are secretly chanting also.
I hope to find out soon.
VedaBase => SB 4.21.26- Anyone who cooperates with this movement or accepts its principles will get the same result as the workers who are actively propagating Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Ananta Gopal das
2.9.2023
Bhakti Wisdom 