Celebrating myself

This morning I was having breakfast with some of the disciples. Garima was wearing a T-shirt which mentioned my 300-pound lift. It was not an old T-shirt, but 300 pounds is old for me. I was saying that I really wanted my disciples to be able to wear a 400-pound T-shirt in the New York Marathon next month. At the speed I am going, perhaps by then I will have lifted either 380 pounds or 400 pounds. At any rate, it will only be a difference of a few pounds.

While we were talking, I had the idea to buy myself a cake in honour of 400 pounds. It is the first time I have ever bought myself a cake, although I have been given hundreds of cakes by my disciples. When I went to the man to ask him to write “400” on the top, he said: “Let me congratulate you first. I know you are the guy who did 300 pounds.” Then he shook hands with me and asked a few more questions such as which arm I use. The man was very nice. How do these people know about my weightlifting?

Now that I have given myself a cake, I have to do it! Like Walt Whitman, I am celebrating myself.

— 14 September 1986