After making lunches for 11 hungry runners in our R.V. at the Hampton Inn in Jackson, our team drove to the Jim Hill High School to meet up with the runners who were running into the ceremony.

Running into the auditorium, we were loudly greeted by over 400 students and faculty as we ran a lap around the gym. After our team presentation and introductions, we were treated to a song and dance by Kataya Hickman, Rashetta Harper and Paige Anderson, called ‘Making World Peace through Dance’.

This was followed by a special poem recitation by Katrina Butler called ‘Global Peace’:

G is for the goal set for the land.

L is for the love shared hand to hand.

O is for the obstacles we’ll have to face.

B is for the better we’ll make this place

A is for all of the people that truly care.

L is for lending a hand and to share.

P is for pretty hard cause that’s what it will be.

E is for easy, but not for you and me.

A is for acceptance, to new ways and reform,

C is for ceasing all evil, hatred and harm.

E is for an example, ‘cause that’s what we must set,

Doing good around the world,

And peace will come “I BET”.

After that soulful message, we heard a harmony rap presentation by Jordan Gilmore, Sharon Spencer and Jessica Jordan. We followed by singing our theme song written by Sri Chinmoy , the founder of the World Harmony Run. Some of the kids then joined in to dance to the catchy rhythm of the song. By this time the most of the gymnasium was enjoying the rhythms of harmony. After a wonderful message by Principal Lydia Haynes we were sent off on our way by the sound of cheering teenagers and teachers. We are grateful to Jolynn Lyonand others who organized this memorable program for us.

Travelling west in Mississippi, our next ceremony was outdoors at the Vicksburg High School where we were greeted by a full marching band playing the World Harmony Run song . It was thrilling to see the runners coming over the hill behind the school as the band was filling the air with our theme song in a powerful and soulful manner.

There were about 200 teenage students and teachers who offered us their harmonious rendition of the song as well. We met some children from other countries as they also were able to meet our international team.

We are very grateful to Mrs. Calloway, the assistant principal, for coordinating the events here at this wonderful school. After some group photos and a short run around the grounds, we were off to the state of Louisiana on the other side of the mighty Mississippi River.

Alfred with the team.

Our first stop was Tallulah, which has always welcomed us to Louisiana in exciting ways. One of the people who we look forward to running with is Tallulah’s Marathon Man, Alfred McClodden. Alfred has joined us in running into or out of his town since 1997. We also met up with Stanley Livingston who comes out every year and organizes local student runners to relay the Torch with us.

Today we ran to the Wright Elementary School with Alfred while a few hundred children, teachers and administrators were eagerly awaiting our arrival. The children sang the World Harmony Run song for us led by Pat Buchanan, teacher and music director. Her voice combined with the sweetness of the children’s voices made for a very soulful rendition of this running song.

As we made our presentation to them, I noticed that the children seemed to be getting closer and closer to us as they stood outside in the parking lot during the ceremony. They all seemed to be gravitating towards the torch as we held it while we spoke. There were so many children that we could not let everyone hold the torch, but we did pass it around a bit as the children offered a silent wish or prayer for harmony and goodwill to others.

It seems that the attraction of the torch is as powerful as the feeling that harmony, love and friendship are essential in our happiness in this world.

Our accommodation for the night was a very large lake house at Poverty Point Reservoir State Park. We had a grand view of the lake and the colorful sunset as we reflected on harmony with nature. It seems that harmony is offered by nature at every moment and is evident only when we take the time to notice it.

Thanks to Dr. Stuart Johnson of the State Park offices in Baton Rouge, we were able to enjoy this beautiful location in southern Louisiana where nature offers a very powerful and splendid view of beauty and harmony.

Arpan and Team Harmony

See you tomorrow!

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