Great Encounters

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026

Downtown Toronto

It was sad to see Krishna Prema Rupa, a true monk, leaving us for his homeland, Switzerland. He had been a companion for a full month. Parting is always tough when you have been chumming with a real person. Farewell, dear friend, and come back to see us again.

A friend goes, but a new one can be made. Today, I was shopping, which is rare, but I was doing so for our deities. While walking off of Queen St. I heard a voice behind saying, “Haribol!” — a way of greeting a Vaishnava. I turned around and there was a young Filipino with a hoodie on. He undid the hoodie part and said, “I was a brahmachary in the Philippines for three years, but I met a Canadian girl. We got married. I believe I fell down (spiritually). You see, I get vertigo. To cure it my doctor said I need to eat fish since I was a vegetarian.” It was a humbling moment for him. I encouraged him.

“Come on over to the temple tomorrow. Bring your wife. We will have prasadam. We have a

Govinda’s Restaurant inside. 6 o’clock. Okay?”

He agreed.

I included in my walk a stretch of footsteps through the massive Eaton’s Mall. I saw a twenty

dollar bill on the floor near the jewelry shop, picked it up, brought it to the clerk behind the

counter. “I found this bill. A shopper might be missing this.”

“We’ll wait to see if someone claims it. Otherwise, we will give it in charity,” I thought that was

a nice gesture. Then....

I was standing on Yonge St. on the phone when a middle-aged lady took a photo of me. She

interrupted.

“You married me.”

“Oh, when?”

“In the 80’s.”

“Are you still married?”

“Yes!”

“Good!”

She smiled.

MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU

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