Russell Wilson: 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 you have 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.]Sri Chinmoy: Do you play tennis or any other sport?
Russell Wilson: I used to be on the national Fencing Team, and now I am chairman of the United States Fencing Judges’ Commission. I put in ten years of my life as a professional fencer, but I don’t do it anymore. Now, unfortunately, the business of trying to solve nuclear problems in North Korea and putting out fires between Pakistan and India is taking up most of my time. I don’t have much time for it, but it is a wonderful sport. As someone who was on a national team, I can tell you that the kind of things that you do give so much inspiration to people who are training to reach their goals.
Sri Chinmoy: I am trying to be of service to mankind. Our philosophy is that physical fitness and spiritual activities must go together. We do not aim to become world champions, but we want the body to be fit. Only then will we be able to hold the message of the spirit when it enters into the body. The physical body has to be in perfect condition in order to execute the will of the soul. To be a champion is not the goal of our life; our goal is to become a good instrument of God in anything that we do.
There was a time when your parents were your world. Then your town, your city, your state and your country became your world. Now the entire humanity has become your own. Humanity has become your brothers and sisters. You feel that all the countries are like branches of the one life-tree. You look at the life-tree and see that one branch is not doing well. You feel that it is your bounden duty to fix this branch so the tree can be perfect. Then you see that another branch is creating problems, and with your heart’s love you go there. Any time you see a defect in the tree, your heart goes there to make that particular branch perfect. For that I am very proud of you, very proud of you.
