A Peace-Blossom Nation

In November, 1998, New Zealand became the fifth Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossoms-Nation in the world. When we learnt of the successful dedication, I phoned Guru in New York to inform him. I said, “Guru, we have got it!"

Guru said, “You have got it?" I replied, “Yes, we have got it, Guru!"

Subarata and the Annam Brahma girls were at Guru’s house at the time and when Guru said, “You have got it?" they all started screaming with delight. Then Guru’s macaw began screeching and Guru’s dog Chela began barking and pandemonium reigned. Unable to hear me, Guru called for silence and they all retired to the next room, still making a lot of noise.

Guru made quite a few nice comments about our achievement, and Subarata said amusingly and quietly to me after- wards, “This would be a good time for you to leave the body!„ It was a very high point in my life when I had managed to really make Guru happy—definitely a good time to leave for the soul’s world with an A+ pass!

Guru invited us to organise a nationwide Peace Run – beginning in two weeks! – to commemorate the Peace Nation dedication, and with Australian disciples participating. Fifty or so disciples made themselves available and formed four running teams – and each day we simply abandoned ourselves to the unfolding possibilities encountered on the roads, to the welcoming schools and inspired hearts. We loved Guru’s high-velocity approach to life, his “do it now” injunction that took us past hesitation or doubt, the sense of venturing out into an unknown day and trusting that all would be well, and then, too, the warrior spirit we each had to summon from within ourselves.

After our nation’s dedication to peace, another congratulatory marathon began. In New York at the time, Subarata was invited onto the stage with Guru at PS 86. All of the several hundred assembled disciples filed past her in tribute, and each was requested by Guru to shake her hand! Guru was very happy and said lots of kind things about our far-away country.