Appreciation

Sometimes I hear something in the distance, a bell ringing in offering, someone singing bhajans, and I smile to myself. Nowhere in the world would you hear that but in Mayapur.

Sometimes I see something happen in front of me, ladies picking flowers for their deities, a child dressed up as Krsna or Rama and I smile to myself. Nowhere else you see that but here.

Sometimes I get a small amount of Krsna's mercy in all sorts of ways, making Mahaprabhu's flower arrangements, a gift of a maha garland, and I smile to myself. Nowhere could I get mercy like that.

Actually this isn't true. These things do happen all of the time all over the world, in every temple and community of devotees, and I guess I've never really noticed how much until coming here to Mayapur. Because in Mayapur it feels different somehow. You see or hear these thing all of the time, at the same time, every day. Just a walk from your home to the temple could have you going past a window where someone is chanting the purusa-sukta prayers, and then another doorway where an ecstatic kirtan is raging. A few steps away and you will pass a 5-year old, a peacock feather in his makeshift turban and waving a flute at you, a big grin on his face. Someone will wave and call out "haribol!" and hand you some sweets from that mornings offering, or invite you to have lunch maha-prasad at their house.

And its only just 7am!

These are the things that are easy to dismiss as everyday life and take for granted.

But everyday life for me at the moment means I am surrounded by all things reminding me of Krsna, whether I like it or not. He will not let me forget Him..

I pray that these simple things remain in my heart, so that I can always appreciate them, whether I am in Mayapur, or elsewhere.