catur-vidha bhajante mam
janah sukrtinorjuna
arto jijnasur artharthi
jnani ca bharatarsabha

Four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me, Arjuna — the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute, o best among the Bhāratas.
This is my version of the hard day blog that my dear wife wrote. We have had some trying times lately. Adriana is of course out on maternity leave which has been wonderful. Whole family trips to Mass, Panca Tattva Mandir and just being in each other’s company. Recently, however, our apartment building was sold and as part of the sale, we were fumigated. Not us, the apartment. We spent a glorious day and night at the fabulous Roby family’s house. The family, not the house being fabulous. Actually the house is fabulous as well. No pater familius, tho :( . And two nights at the not fabulous America’s Best Inn Laguna Beach. If the desk clerk at a hotel witnesses to your wife upon checking in that Jesus has rescued him from drug abuse, homosexuality and child molestation do you still stay there? We did. Upside was time spent at the fabulous Sri Sri Panca tattva Mandir in Laguna Beach (285 Legion Street Laguna Beach).
Anyway, when I returned to make sure the apartment was aired out properly before bringing the babies and Adriana back, I discovered the body of our "beloved" family cat Allegro. Apparently he got back in just before the fumigation took place.
RIP
June 9th, 1995
March 13th, 2008
Now, Joaquin has some infection (we’ll know more Friday) and we had to take him to the Emergency room last night at midnight. By we I mean my darling wife Adriana. She wisely turned down the lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to detect meningitis and after seeing our family doctor today, we are optimistic that he will soon be fine. Since Adriana is also sick, I have stayed home from both jobs that I was to do today. A shift at Trader Joe’s and painting the foyer at temple all night. So, on this day when I was supposed to make around two hundred dollars for my family, I made nothing. The final straw was when my delightful older son Giovanni put a gaping hole in our $35 exercise ball with which we soothe Joaquin to sleep, I burned the pizza that I was making for Adriana and him for lunch.

That was it.
I had no emotional stamina left.
I felt my whole consciousness constrict and whirl in my chest.
I felt the color drain from my face and gasped for breath.

I am now in that category of people who turn to Krsna in distress. When Joaquin was born, I felt so vulnerable and felt my family at the mercy of people and circumstances beyond our control- hospital/insurance company regulations/biology etc. In my distress, I had a mental picture of the Panca Tattva and prayed to them for their protection. And here today a few hours ago, I again found myself turning to Sri Nitai Prabhu, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Sri Shantipura Natha Advaita Prabhu, Sri Pandit Goswami and Srivas Pandit Mahasay for help. Not niskarma bhakti certainly, but one begins where one is.
I am humbly begging the bhakta jana and everyone to bless us and bless me that in distress and calm I will turn to RadhaKrsna and Nitai Gauranga for help.
Just remembering them is in every case salvation, victory and succor.