The day I met Guru on my way to school

I was 13 or I might have been 14. I was going to school, and my school was one hour away from where I lived. Every day I went on the bus to school. Very occasionally, I would get off the bus halfway through and catch the train the rest of the way. That was only if I was really late or something had happened.

One day I decided I was going to catch the train. I was with my cousins who I lived with. They were persuading me to catch the bus because we could travel together. I said, "No, I'm going to catch the train today."

I came out of the train station and as soon as I did, Guru walked by. He was on a secret visit to London.

He would go back via India, from India to New York. We were lucky that he would stop by London. That particular time he was staying in London for three days, but to rest and totally secretly. Nobody was allowed to know that he was there.

Because I was young, I said, "Guru are you coming to the Centre? Can you come to the Centre?" He said, "Yes, tell everybody I will come."

Then I was late for school. I said, "Guru, I'm going to be late for school."

At that time, the school was very, very strict. Everybody that was late on that day was in serious trouble—except me—because the teacher just didn't notice me. I was the latest of all of them, but Guru protected me.

As long as we stay
Inside God’s Compassion-Heart
And at his Protection-Feet,
We shall be able to protect
Both the divine and the human
In our lives.

Sri Chinmoy 1

• 1. Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, part 173, Agni Press, 1992