A Dog's Life

This morning around 5:30, a lady came out of her house with a little dog. I was going down 150th Street, running very slowly. She said, "Hi!" Then I said, "Hi." She said, "I was talking to my dog, not you."
 
I went on running. About fifteen minutes later, as I was running very slowly up the hill, I saw the same lady in her front yard. I didn't pay any attention to her. I didn't want to be insulted by her again.
 
She said, "Hi!" This time I absolutely remained silent. She said, "What is the matter with you? You don't know how to talk?"
 
This was my morning blessing. I thought she was saying "Hi" to me, but her dog is better than I am. Then she insulted me again, fifteen minutes later. This is how the lady blessed me.
 
14 January 1980 
 

[Source: "A Dog's Life" in Sri Chinmoy,  Run and Become, Become and Run, Part 3, Agni Press/Aum Publications, Jamaica, New York, 1980.]