Quite often I will do a lap in the morning with Ananda-Lahari for no other reason than he is just an incredibly pleasant person to be with. His effervescent sunny optimism and dedication to this mind boggling race are a constant reminder to me and probably you as well.
That we should not complain so often or be as critical of our own predicaments, no matter how bad they might appear to be. Particularly when we compare our ordeals and burdens with that of the runners and what they each have to endure here every day.
Ananda-Lahari being the lowest person on the board, we as armchair observers can sometimes be tempted to fall absentmindedly into a dismissive habit of considering his presence in the race as unspectacular or not as important as that of the others .
That his 1995 miles, when compared to Yuri’s 2596, is a difference of more than 600 miles. That this means somehow that he isn’t achieving as much. But we sell him short when we do this. When we use some artificial and meaningless yardstick that we dare to hold up and measure him with.
This attitude on our parts is of course completely wrong. And if you spend any time with him at all. Do a lap or listen on the blog you will immediately see the depth and brightness of who he is and what he is really achieving each and every day.
Today is incredibly humid and when I ask if this affects him he says, “No, you are here and have to do your miles in any kind of weather. You have to do your best.”
“It can influence you that you are slower or faster but it doesn’t really change anything.”
The last time we talked he had mentioned how he was trying to not be distracted by things going on around him. I ask him a little more about this and he confesses that certain things do draw his attention. He points at the little flower garden at the edge of the camp. “I always look at them. When they made the garden it changed something here. It is really nice.”
“I also look at the places that I remember that Sri Chinmoy was here when he visited the course. Giving his concerts or doing his exercise.” Ananda-Lahari says that his encounters with his spiritual teacher over the many years of running here include practically ever spot on the course. He sweeps his hand in front of him in a large circle. He says either he was driving his own car or being driven.
By now we come up to the little brick alcove where the Enthusiasm Awakeners sing each morning. “This is the spot where he used to give concerts. It was amazing.”
“I visualize it and it gives me joy. It uplifts me. Sri Chinmoy was a very very special person, and very very inspiring to me.”
When I ask him about the daily appearances of the Enthusiasm Awakeners. “I love it. For me it is very uplifting. I like Sri Chinmoy’s music and they sing the songs of Sri Chinmoy. They are the Enthusiasm Awakeners and they do it with real enthusiasm.”
“I believe it is mutual. It uplifts the runners and I guess it uplifts them as well. It adds to the race something special.”
Who is my hero?
No, not a good God-talker.
Who is my hero?
No, not a good God-dreamer.
Who is my hero?
No, not a good God-lover.
Who is my hero?
No, not a good God-server.
Who is my hero?
My hero, indeed, a God-bleeding-heart
And a God-blossoming-life.
The quiet time……Humidity 72%
The van arrives
The board
Yuri arrives
Flowers
Ashprihanl in the motor home
Ananda-Lahari arrives
Kaneenika
Yuri
Start Day 40
First steps
Sun rise
Yuri did 64 miles yesterday
He now has 2596 miles
He has a 20 mile lead on Ashprihanal.
He has just 504 miles more to go
Dry leaves
Ashprihanal did 70 miles
He now has 2576 miles
If he continues to run this well he will overtake Yuri in just a couple more days.
“I getting to really hate this job with the Sanitation department. They pay you peanuts and we are here for 40 minutes and the truck still hasn’t arrived.”
Ashprihanal and the singers
Atmavir did 42 miles
He now has 2544 miles
The real thing
Vasu did 59 miles
He now has 2482 miles
His blister is still giving him some trouble
Service road
Kaneenika had a good day with 57 miles
She now has 2401 miles
With the 13 days left to complete 700 miles she now needs to average 53 miles per day
A light touch
By the school
Surasa did 52 miles
She now has 2335 miles
She now needs to complete 58 miles a day on average
Anything is possible
“I’ve inspected this bus from top to bottom.”
“Lets load up the kids now and take them to the peanut factory.”
By the fence
Baladev did 54 miles
He now has 2174 miles. His shirt says Go Forward. I mention this to him and he said, “Everyone needs to go forward.”
First light
Sopan did 45 miles
He now has 2132 miles
Stutisheel
Stutisheel did 35 miles
He now has 2103 miles
He is slowly recovering from various ailments
Not quite there
Ananda-Lahari did 42 miles and has 1995 miles
Days are getting shorter
Nirjharini checking on Surasa
Sahishnu bagging ice
Swamiji visiting the course on the webcam
Thunder storms parting as they pass over Queens
This morning I asked Kakali about coming and singing with the Enthusiasm Awakeners
“It is one of the most important things that I can do for my Guru.”
“This manifestation of Guru’s I feel is so monumental and so far reaching. It is such an honor to be chosen as one of the girls and come and sing every day.”
“I feel that I make such a little contribution. I am not a runner, but my heart is totally with these runners. And it one of the things I can do for Guru. The best thing.”
“It is total joy and I feel that I am being blessed over and over again by coming here each day.”
Click to Play:
Kakali reads the Daily Poem
Click to Play:
Just for the pink of it
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Click to Play:
You may think
You are sincerely doing your best
To expand your heart,
But you can do even more:
You can make room for others
Inside your oneness-heart.
Dear Utpal,
There are enthusiasm-runners, there are enthusiasm-singers and there are some excellent enthusisasm-reporters!!!
Keep on going, all of you. You are amazing!
Sushuti