Run and Become Stories
by Sri Chinmoy
Once, a 60 or 70-year-old man was following me during a run. Then he said to me, “Young man, what is the matter? Why do you run so slowly?” For fifty metres he ran with me, but then he gave up. He was so out of breath.
This morning, while I was running near the Grand Central Parkway, a man said, “Wait!” So I stopped and waited, but I didn’t know what he wanted. Then he said, “This will be cooler,” and he sprayed me with a hose.
He asked me where I was from. I told him, “India,” and I asked him where he was from. He said, “Ireland.” He was very happy to learn that I had been to Ireland a few years ago and had met the President. On my way back I again saw him working in his garden. I waved to him and he said, “Good morning.”
One day, after running eleven miles, I stopped to watch some children who were looking for something. One of them had dropped a coin, and they were all looking for it. So I also started looking. Finally, I found a dime and pointed it out to the child who had dropped it. He said, “Thanks a lot.” Then he gave me a smile and I gave him a smile.
Once I passed by an old man and a little child. The old man was looking at me with admiration. The child said, “Daddy, who is that guy?” The father answered, “He is a great man.”
Yesterday at noon, when I was returning from my run, a little boy and a little girl came out of their house. The little boy ran and followed for fifty metres. He said, “Boy, you run quite fast.” Then he stopped and gave up.
Yesterday, after I had run about three and a half miles, I stopped for a couple of seconds while running up a hill. At that time another runner — a man of about my age — passed me and said, “Come on, you can make it. You are not that old.” So I started running and then I passed him. He gave me a broad smile and said, “I told you so.” He was very happy that he had inspired me. Then I made a right turn and he made a left turn and we parted.
One morning, after I had run ten miles, I saw a fisherman catching fish. He said, “Man, you have run a lot. Now give me a hand.” He wanted my help, but I just smiled and kept running.
The other day my road crew was following me in a car as I was running. After I had run only six miles, a fisherman started screaming at me, “Keep on running, run faster.” Then he asked, “How many miles have you run?”
The boys are such jokers. I had run only six miles, but they told him twelve miles.
On Parsons Boulevard construction men were digging a big hole and a very fat man was inside the hole up to his eyes. As soon as he saw me he smiled at me and clapped. Then he started grumbling, “Oh, I am here working and you are running and enjoying yourself.”
Once, a 60 or 70-year-old man was following me during a run. Then he said to me, “Young man, what is the matter? Why do you run so slowly?” For fifty metres he ran with me, but then he gave up. He was so out of breath.
This morning I was running by three garbage collectors, two white and one black. One of the white ones said, “Boss, what do you doing?” instead of what are you doing. So I smiled at him. The black one said, “He’s a smart guy.” I also gave him a broad smile.
Published in Run and Become, Become and Run, part 1
