During our Monthly Sankirtan Festival in Wellington, a boy was walking in our direction, so we asked him, “Are you a thoughtful person?”
He responded, “Yes, I am. And right now I’m in a predicament. Maybe you guys can help me.”
He was looking a little distressed so my husband, Bal Gopal, patted his shoulder and said, “Sure, man, what’s going on?”
He said, “I just went to the cash machine down the road and a $20 note was just sitting there hanging out of the machine! I waited for about 5 minutes, looking around, but nobody came to get it, so I have it on me now. Do I keep it? Do I put it back? What shall I do with it?”
Feeling bold, Bal Gopal said “You should give it to us”. He added “Not for us to keep, but because we are just volunteers, but so that you can take one of these spiritual books.”
I added, “Realistically, if you put the money back, someone will take it and just go buy cigarettes or alcohol. It is Courtenay Place, after all. What good is that for anyone?”
He said, “True.” And started to relax.
Bal Gopal said, “This book will teach you the best way to actually help people.”
“I think you guys are right. My conscience is feeling better now”.
After hearing some more friendly discussion, encouragement, and kind words, he walked away with the Bhagavad Gita.
Your servant,
Ananda-candra Dasi