(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2008, Newcastle, South Africa, Lecture)
My life took many unexpected turns. I made plans but I could not fulfill many of them and I had to face many surprises – sometimes pleasant and sometimes unpleasant. I lived in many countries. Many people think that I am from Holland but to tell you the truth, I am not! Even in this life, my birth was in Vrindavan because my spiritual life began in Vrindavan and thus Holland feels like a last life. I can remember it only vaguely. I’m from Vrindavan actually! But there also, I faced ups and downs. In Vrindavan also, I faced pleasant surprises and a few unpleasant ones because this is the material world. But Krsna tells us that we should learn to tolerate the happiness and distress in this world because these are temporary. And how do we tolerate? Is it impossible? One can tolerate only if one is attached to Krsna…