Terri Carr, our Tampa Bay area coordinator, arranged for us two wonderful schools today in the Clearwater and Pinellas Park.

Eisenhower Elementary

Running into the first school, Eisenhower Elementary, we were greeted by over 700 enthusiastic students and many teachers eagerly awaiting our arrival.

We offered them our program which usually ends with everyone singing the World Harmony Run song. We had been told that they did not have a program to offer us but to our delight, just when everything seemed to be winding down, a group of children came up to recite and read poems about harmony. The poems were all from a small book of poetry and sayings about harmony written by the founder of the World Harmony Run, Sri Chinmoy. Two of the poems that were read out goes, “Harmony sees no clouds, it sees only brilliant sunshine.” “We can have harmony if we have deep reverence for mother nature.”

Much to the children's delight and excitement we ask the teachers and staff to take a lap around the court with the torch. This always a highlight for the kids and us. Though reluctant at first, the teachers really seemed to enjoy themselves as well!

A Thank You Harmony Heart's sweetest fragrance 

After that soulful performance all the children and teachers made a huge heart shaped "Thank You".

It included everyone and the Harmony Run Banner with the 2010 UN and UNESCO International Year for the Rapproachement of Cultures Logo. 

This was a very beautiful and a most relevant experience, related  to our message that we carry with us.

• When we ask where harmony and peace begin inside us most people usually say or point to their heart.
•  “Harmony is the heart’s sweetest fragrance”, so says Sri Chinmoy.

We are very grateful to Principal Sandy Downs, Karen Bailey and the rest of the staff who helped to organize such a wonderful program to greet us and share these important qualities with us on this very hot day. Needless to say, the children are what really made it a significant event.

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On our way to lunch we stopped by Sri Chinmoy Street. A private street off Race Track Road, owned by Hamid Salahutdin, honoring Sri Chinmoy's efforts to foster world peace and harmony.

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 Consciousness-Blossoms Restaurant

Tilvila and her staff at the Consciousness-Blossoms Restaurant in Palm Harbor treated us to a sumptuous lunch after the first school ceremony. Her restaurant, which has been in existence since 1999, has successfully combined tasty, healthy food with wonderful and quick service with a smile. We are very grateful to her and her staff for such great food and service.

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Pinellas Central Elementary School.

 

After that wonderful meal we went to the Pinellas Central Elementary School. We were greeted outdoors by over 600 students and teachers. As in the last school, the outdoor functions are held under a huge open air pavilion to provide shade for everyone, as the days are quite hot here and the sun quite intense, even this early in the Spring.

‘Be A Buddy, Not A Bully’. 

After our program and singing of our theme song, the children, with the help of one of the enthusiastic teachers, sang for us a song they wrote for their special day called, ‘Be A Buddy, Not A Bully’.

The chorus of the song went like this “I don’t want to be a bully, no way, not me. I don’t want to be a bully, so a friend I’ll be.”

We shared with the children the importance of harmony and friendship as represented by their special song and how we are also trying to share those qualities with others as we run from place to place.

The enthusiastic Principal, Faye Webber with some of the teachers then led the students around the field with the torch to the delight of everyone.

The children were quite well behaved even though there were so many hundreds of them as they took turns touching the torch and offering their kind thoughts for peace and harmony.

We always try to offer everyone an opportunity to share in the expression of goodwill and harmony, offering whatever they can in whatever way they are inspired to, so that we can carry those good thoughts, wishes and prayers to the next location.

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Once again Tilvila opened her home to us in the evening for another delicious meal prepared by her and other friends of ours here in the Tampa area.

We are grateful to everyone who supported us and fed us today, including Margaret Borkowski, the manager of the beautiful La Quinta Inn (and our good friend, Mahesh's mother) where we stayed the night.

– Arpan

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Team Members:
Arpan DeAngelo (New York), Atulya Lee Berube (San Diego), Yuyudhan Hoppe (Minnesota), Gabriel Pelletier (Canada), Mark Collinson (England), Kshetragna (Russia), Surya (Russia), Drsalu Gruenstaeudl (Austria), Vladimir Salnicov (Moldova), Kokila Chamberlin (Wales), Salil Wilson (Australia), Vajra Henderson (New York)

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

Gallery: See more images!

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