Starting again¹⁶

The first day I started running again after being injured, I could only run one block. Then I would have to stop and walk. Yesterday I ran eight hundred metres, and then I walked a little. Today it was better. When you stop running, your stamina goes away totally. It is not like tennis, where you retain your ability to a certain extent. Also, tennis always gives such joy; even if you miss the ball, at least you are playing a game.

Many years ago the Supreme gave me the capacity to run, but He didn’t give me enough time. I was acting like a slave to so many people — every day serving five masters at my various jobs in the ashram. What could I do? I just didn’t have time to practise running, although I had the capacity. Of course, now I have eight or nine hundred masters to please!

In addition to the disciples, I have two more masters: my two dogs, Sona and Kanu. For the last two weeks my little three-month-old Kanu has been blessing me so that I get no peace at night. He just cries and cries. When I finally bring him upstairs, he is so restless. He won’t stay in one place for more than two minutes. Sometimes around seven o’clock he rests a little, but usually until eight-thirty in the morning when the disciples come to work, I am a perfect slave to my little dog.