Moments in time

joe

Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice, Ft. Stockton Prison

December 7, 2016

Visited yesterday with Joe, an inmate in Ft. Stockton, Texas, a small town just off the 10 Highway. It’s a small prison, a transfer prison so the maximum stay can only be two years. 535 men there presently.

Joe brought Srila Gurudeva’s Bhagavad-gita to our meeting. He had no idea who I was and so elated I was there. We talked like friends, laughed, prayed… shared an hour and a half of time, on this planet. We may never speak again, yet 90 minutes of deep, memorable, heart-to-heart relation transpired. A form of communication based on a foundation of Krsna. Krsna brought us together. There is no other reason for that meeting, sharing our worlds – nothing – except the basis that Krsna can and will remove our suffering if we turn to Him. He knows who we are and what is happening, yet without asking, He won’t give us attention.

The glow in Joe’s eyes, the hope of joy, the happiness and contentment of where’s he’s at – can still hear him and see his smile as he spoke, “I’m in a monastery… sharing with whoever wants to hear; chanting on my beads and the guys don’t mind.”

We were sitting at a table across from the Chaplain’s office. When we were reading the Gita, I looked towards her office and saw her smile at me – a warm, thank you smile.

We folded our hands and offered respects to each other as we left, and Joe asked me to tell everyone involved in the IPBYS Prison Program that he sends his deep thanks and love as we feel like family to him and have touched his life more than we can know.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada, all of our guardians on the path of bhakti!

Aspiring for the service of Sri Guru and the Vaisnavas,
Vasanti dasi