 | In New Jersey there were many gardens and by taking short japa walks I discovered that everyone had rose gardens. Never had I seen so many roses. Often there were small statues of Virgin Mary or various saints in the neighboring yards, surrounded by colorful fragrant, ruby-reds, sparkle-pinks and bright yellows. I began to ask the various gardeners if I could pick a few roses and found they were very friendly. They let me pick as many as I liked. So I began to make a regular route of gardens on my daily japa walk, always asking politely, and never being refused. The people seemed happy that I was appreciating their gardens, and if they asked I would tell them the roses were for my dear grandfather who was ill and recovering nearby at a house at the seashore. Daily, I would bring two or three grocery bags full of roses, and finding vases and bottles here and there I began decorating Srila Prabhupada's room with bouquets of roses. Deity worship had not yet begun but I was happy to serve Srila Prabhupada as my Deity. He loved roses, and I loved to bring them to him. Usually, I made six or seven vases full in his room and a couple more in the living room. Later, he would compare the scents of various roses. "I think yellow is the most fragrant", he sometimes said. He said that roses were medicinal and put them on his head and face, inhaling their fragrance deeply. His room smelled always like sandalwood and roses, and my daily chore of gathering roses was my greatest delight. I would chant and sing Hare Krsna as I was walking so all the bugs and slugs could hear, and I would have the joy of carrying bags of flowers to my dear grandfather. Once while returning with my booty, Srila Prabhupada heard me singing Hare Krsna as I approached our bungalow. He smilingly turned to Gaurasundara, nodding his approval and said: "Govinda dasi is very simple hearted". Gaurasundara told me this later. At the time, I never really understood what simple hearted meant. Now I can understand more what is meant to be simple-hearted. Krsna wants this simplicity and the youth are often more simple-hearted than adults. I believe it is possible to retain this freshness of spirit, this simple-heartedness even in the midst of difficulties and complexities of life. When things get complicated I try to remember that incident. I try to return to that fresh, young mood of simply wanting to shower my spiritual father with flowers and that lifts me above the maze of illusory complexity. Thank you, Srila Prabhupada, for giving me the opportunity for serving you in this way. I am eternally grateful and I long to bring you baskets full of roses in Goloka.
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