Rain, rain and more rain

It rains a lot here in Swansea. For many years Swansea was the wettest recorded place in Europe, there's something to be proud of.

For a lot of people the rain is something that they have to put up with whilst on the way to work or when out shopping, few people work in it. Those who do probably don't like it.

The Bhagavad Gita ( an ancient spiritual classic from the Vedic scriptures) States "O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed." (BG 2.14)

Easier said than done.

Every day, give or take a few, I go out into a town or a city and try and give people books on Krishna Consciousness. Some of you may have received one from me. When it rains I really don't feel like doing it, I hate the rain. Yes hates a strong word but after years and years of standing out in it I really, really wish it would just stop. (maybe if it could just rain at night)

I do have to think of the above verse every time the rain falls, this is after all the material world and no matter where I go there will be some kind of disturbance. No material situation is perfect.

Sometimes though when it rains and I just surrender to the situation and think of all the extreme suffering in the world I realize that a little (or a lot in here in Wales) water falling down on me isn't so bad after all. There is the added bonus of course that when it rains it gives me the chance to remember that I should be always willing to serve Krishna no matter what my material situation. Then come rain or shine I will be happy.