Swanwick Star Issue No. 1 (2008)

More Reflections

Yesterday morning, while sipping coffee on Commercial Drive, we listened to the life-story of Graham. He refuses to accept any spiritual authority including Krishnamurti’s and, thus, adds a refreshing dimension to the Dialogues at the Planetarium.

He said he was born and raised in the Church of Scotland and used to sing hymns to Jesus on Sundays. Then, he got a seafaring job and travelled all around the world. Apparently, he found his trips to India most disturbing because street urchins would follow him around when he was there asking for money, but they were always smiling… he said he couldn’t figure out their secret. Why were these penniless beggars always so happy, when he, the big officer, wasn’t?!

So, he went back to England and started another job, but this truth continued to torment him. Eventually, he left England to return to India and spend a few years exploring. At the end of it, he was satisfied and felt that he had found some answers to his life’s dilemma. He had received a hint of another way of living which involved “acceptance” of any situation, and acceptance of the present moment, and an acceptance of thought’s limitations.

November, 2008