My day started out in a more leisurely fashion than most because I wasn’t due for any activity until 12:50 p.m. So I took the opportunity in the morning too reflect on the World Harmony Run and wrote an essay called “The World Harmony Run and Why We Run”. I was quite satisfied with the essay because it actually helps me to realize what I’m doing out here and why. Also, with the main concept articulated in my mind and on paper I may be able to express myself more freely when I participate in ceremonies and programs across America.

I then had time to call my mom and tell her about the run (it was the first she heard of my being on the run). She was thrilled for me and just happy that I called her and shared with her some of my experience.

So when it was time to go we headed to the University of Southern Mississippi which is in Hattiesburg. The campus was nice and pleasant and had some large trees scattered about with massive branches that were growing horizontally to the ground right from the trunk. We met with the track and field team who were called the Golden Eagles, and ran around campus with them to the center which they called the Hub. A young man named Robert carried the Harmony Torch into the Hub and he was accompanied by his teammates named Carrie and Brittany. Robert is a pole vaulter who has tremendous enthusiasm for the sport. He’s got one year left of school and then he will start his career as a coach for track and field. He’s particularly interested in raising awareness of his own event, the pole vault, in Mississippi because there are not too many people doing it (he’s the only one from his university). Carrie and Brittany are both long distance runners for their track and field team and we wish them all luck with their final track meet of the year coming up this weekend.

So after we stopped running we had a benediction and blessings from an Irish Catholic priest, Father Tom Conway, who prayed for our good health and running and even uttered a traditional Irish prayer, “…may the road rise up to greet you, may the wind be at your back…and may God hold you always in the palm of His Hand.”

The World Harmony Run team then introduced itself, sharing our diverse origins and aspiration. It was a special feeling to be there among the green trees, and the refreshing air, the young smiling track athletes and the warm sun, the protective shade, and the cool breeze; standing amidst the charming atmosphere of the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi, home of the Golden Eagles. All was well and we were all happy hearts sharing our feelings of oneness, goodwill, and harmony. We chatted with each other for awhile and shared the Harmony Torch with all present.

The program today was coordinated by Coach Wayne Williams who was so nice to introduce us to his team and his campus. Also present to offer their goodwill were assistant coaches Kevin Stephen and Deb Osteen. Kevin is a decathlete who was on the Trinidad national team when he was younger. He still competes, and will take part in the World Transplant Games, being a recipient of a kidney transplant. Deb, still looking quite fit, was a good cross-country and track runner. We are also so grateful to Sonya Varnell, the Senior Women’s Administrator for the Athletic Department at U. of Southern Miss.

Later in the day Damon and I headed up Hwy 49 N towards Jackson to our starting point for our run. It was very warm outside and the sun was hot with no cloud cover. I was ready for a nice run and fell into an easy 9:30 min/mile pace. It felt blissfully good to be running in that heat and among the speeding car-bullets that whizzed by incessantly, however, I’m not sure exactly why. I was in a groove and the body felt finely tuned for the task at hand: to cover 8.5 miles. Damon was running his usual speedy pace, a step up from my own, however slow by his standard, an 8:30 min/mile. We were again running through a heavily forested area and when an overpass rose high I could see layers upon layers of trees stretching into the horizon, and the grasses near to the highway were decorated with patches of purple wildflowers. The miles flowed into each other one by one and Damon and I ran leap-frog style with the Torch Van (one guy running to the van, the other guy running from the van). We finished our running with a sense of satisfaction and hung around by the side of the street stretching for a few minutes as the semi-trucks and cars zoomed by. We boarded the Torch Van and began making our way towards Jackson eating our bag lunches in silence and contentment, eager to reach our new destination for the evening.

Some of us were offered complimentary rooms at the Best Value Inn, while others stayed at the Holiday Inn and Suites and the Days Inn and Suites, the last being in Ridgeland, just north of Jackson. We are so grateful for these in-kind gifts which mean a lot to us and make us very happy.

The Outback Steakhouse and Jesse Hayes offered us a great meal for the whole team.

We also received three tasty pizzas from Mazzio’s Pizza nearby as well. These offerings mean so much to us no matter what the outer value may be. The inner rewards we get from such acts of kindness fuel us in more ways than one and we are ever grateful for that.

Erik (Chicago)

A Nice Meeing

I met Greg Yelverton today. He is the 1-mile, 2-mile a Mississippi state champion and the 5k state record holder. Not to mention the 2k Junior Olympics Gold Medalist.

He beeped his horn at me and then stopped his car so he could express how happy and excited he was that we were running for harmony.

Thanks Greg! It was a hard day today on the raod. Your enthusiasm helped us to continue.

A thousand times, gratitude to you. Keep running.

Next time come run with us.

Elke and the girls team

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