FAREWELL FLORIDA

Monday, January 12th, 2026

Miami/Toronto

The other day in one suburb of Miami, a resident of the neighbourhood spotted us walking. She was struck with our Indian clothes, including my swami attire. 

“What’s with all the colourful clothes?” She was most likely referring also to the elegant saris that the women at the sangha gathering were dressed in. Something was happening in her neighbourhood, and she was happy and curious. I responded. 

“It is an event. A Krishna gathering – our version of Saturday night fever. There will be chanting and …” My explanation got interrupted by a car parked on the street whose horn was on alarm. 

“Can’t the owners do something about it?” she protested, her mood shifting from joy to a graveness. We were all somewhat distracted yet focused we were to get to our site, the home of the evening’s kirtan and its proceedings.

There was a reason for the stroll before the kirtan. More people were expected. The host permitted me to go for a stroll beforehand. This suited me well. I have my limits when it comes to addressing a group or a crowd. After two hours of some level of congestion, I feel I need to break away regardless of how well everything went with response, the joy, the laughter. Time for another stroll. In this way my day is structured with spurts of walking. How relieving it is! 

Crowd versus a quiet street or a forest. I find the balance to be the best way. And downtime means mantra time. Downtime also refers to meeting new streets, new people, young persons fishing off the coast at Coconut Grove, or being with someone I haven’t seen for so long. Goodbye, Florida! Hare Krishna!

MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU

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