Russell Wilson: I Know From The Video,...

Russell Wilson: I know from the video, Guruji, that you were very close to U Thant.

Sri Chinmoy: As soon as U Thant saw me, he saw something in me and I saw something in him. His very first utterance to me was: "People have been telling me such nice things about you, and I see that it is absolutely true." Then we developed a genuine friendship. He is a Buddhist and I come from a Hindu family, but once we sincerely accept the spiritual life we go beyond the domain of religion. Religion is like a house. I live in my house and you live in your house. But we study together in the same school, and that school is our love of God. So he had transcended his religion and I had transcended my religion; our only religion was our love of God. He was my dear friend, an excellent friend. You also know of my love and admiration for my brother, Congressman Gary Ackerman.

Russell Wilson: </i> He feels the same way.

Sri Chinmoy: For years and years I have been basking in the kindness and sunshine of his affection. He is such a good friend, such a brother. Each time I think of Gary Ackerman's name, boundless love and boundless gratitude immediately fill my heart.

Russell Wilson: I didn't even know that you knew him when I first decided that I had to see you.

Sri Chinmoy: Everything depends on God's Hour. When the Hour strikes, we see the reality, we feel the reality and we become the reality. This song I composed many years ago in honour of Gary Ackerman. These students of mine will now sing it. They have come from all over the world to observe the anniversary of my arrival in America 29 years ago. They are from Great Britain, France, Austria, Japan and other places. ( Sri Chinmoy's students sing the Gary Ackerman song. ) I am Gary's genuine fan.

Russell Wilson: He feels the same way about you, Guruji. That's unbelievable-really amazing! I have to tell you that even before I met you, you touched my life with your brilliant poetry and philosophy. I knew you were something very special and I wanted to really learn from you. But I felt that this could not be accomplished without meeting you. I thank you for the honour of meeting you. I just want to tell you how much I admire your brilliance and how much have you touched my life. (A long pause follows, in which Sri Chinmoy meditates with Russell Wilson. Then Sri Chinmoy gives him a few of his books-for himself and for his wife, Laurie. )