Let’s Be Kind

Wednesday, September 30th, 2026

Ramsden Park, Toronto

September 30th is a National Holiday to honour children who suffered during their residential school days. They were indigenous children separated from their families and restricted from using their mother tongue languages and native rituals. These children of God were abused on many levels and many did not survive.

To remember them Canada has made this day the Truth and Reconciliation Day. People wear orange T-shirts. I wore mine and other resident monks in our Hare Krishna Temple followed suit. The truth for me was to wear orange all over. My kurta (shirt), my dhoti (lower garment), and uttariya (shawl) are all orange. The caption on my shirt reads, “Every Child Matters” along with the French translation “Chaque Enfant Compte.”

When I joined the mission at age 20 and began reading the literature of Srila Prabhupada, I was delighted to discover that God, Krishna, plays the role of a child. I was further intrigued with the concept that this child plays pranks and gets into mischief, in another words, comes across as a human-like personage.

In today’s Gita zoom class with South African and European participants we penetrated on verse 4.8 which describes the purpose in Krishna’s coming. One of the reasons for his descent is to give pleasure to His devotees in a very human-like way. He demonstrates wit, craving for food and fun and His skill at subduing demons and all the while as a child. His loving exchanges with his devotees is throughout his life. His loving tendency is very inspirational.

I thought I could be a bit more loving today. At the park I met Haide, someone I had not seen in years. I also met Barbara, whom I hadn’t seen in some time. She has no home. I invited her over for prasadam. I thought, “Let’s be kind.”

Photographer Haide who has some of her work hanging in the temple.

We threw a going away party for Vraja Balaka who is off to get married.

MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU

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