Sharani

An afternoon of suspense and delight unfolded – or should I say ascended – on the afternoon of August 27, 2009 at Aspiration-Ground in Queens, NY as Ashrita Furman set another Guinness World’s Record – this time for the world’s largest lollipop.

I was in New York to observe the anniversary of the late spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy’s birth along with over a thousand other meditation students gathered from around the world. The biggest highlight of the festivities – and I mean biggest in a literal sense – centered inside one giant lollipop created by Ashrita Furman along with a team of over 20 helpers. Their goal – to create the world’s largest lollipop and set a new Guinness World’s Record.

They more than achieved their goal, besting the weight of the previous world’s largest Jolly Rancher lollipop by about 2,000 pounds. The lollipop weighed in at 6,706 pounds and involved the construction of a large frame for the lollipop mold and the melting of sugar and corn syrup in 100 gallon containers.

I came out to watch the lollipop get hoisted into the air with a crane and took the above photos of the record-breaking moment.

Ashrita, the helpers and the staff from the hoisting company worked together to determine the best way to lift the lollipop off the wooden frame and into the air. The lollipop was sticking to the wooden backing it rested on and I found it so inspiring to witness how the team from the hoisting company became completely engrossed in figuring out the best approach to getting the lollipop airborne. They seemed as invested and committed to success as the Sri Chinmoy Centre members who had spent the long hours making the lollipop. Watching this teamwork in action made the time pass quickly as I waited to get the photo of the lollipop upright in the sky.

While I watched and waited, I also kept staring at the enormity of the lollipop and imagined the magnitude of sweetness embodied in it. The colorful happy birthday message to Sri Chinmoy and the reproduction of one of Sri Chinmoy’s countless bird drawings added to the charm. Just looking at it made me feel like a child again.

And the symbolism of the sugar sweet resonated with my spiritual outlook on life. How many countless times have I experienced grace, blessings and forgiveness in my inner life of relationship with God? I think even a lollipop of this size cannot replicate the layers of sweet memories woven into my 24 years of spiritual journey inspired by the philosophy of spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy.

Sweetness embodies
Ecstasy, light, delight
And Immortality.
-Excerpt from Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, Part 16 by Sri Chinmoy

Read more about the lollipop on Kedar’s fascinating Inspiring News blog and in an India Post news article online.

And yes, in case you were wondering, I did taste the lollipop after the photo shoot of the event was finished. It tasted wonderful. It tasted sweet.

Tonight I took a nostalgic stop down memory lane when I bought ice cream from an ice cream truck wending its way through the neighborhood while I was out walking as the sun set. I had some money in my pocket and a smile on my face as I steered my feet towards the ice cream truck instead of back towards my house.

The early days of Palagi's Ice Cream

I have certainly heard the ice cream truck bell ringing in my Rhode Island neighborhood but this is the first time that I actually buy from it. Somehow it seems something tailor made for children and not for my middle-aged viewpoint. However, I felt a child once again as I pored over the pictures of ice cream oddities and creations. What did I get? A Klondike Choco Taco for $2.25 from Palagi’s Ice Cream.

Lo and behold they have been vending ice cream since 1896 and their website shows pictures of horse drawn selling wagons and Model A Ford Wagons. So my nostalgic trip down memory lane was just so in more ways than one.

This ice cream “taco” was fun to eat but I said to myself,

“From where to where!”

My favorite flavor of non-dairy ice cream

when I stopped to think that a couple of weeks ago I had frozen kefir for the first time ever at a
Starfruit shop in Wicker Village, Chicago and totally LOVED it!

Or that the frozen confection you are most likely to find in my freezer this summer is a non-dairy variety of ice cream such as Purely Decadent brand Pomegranate Chip or Rice Dream brand.

Since I seem to equate ice cream with happiness, I like to reference the following quote from my meditation teacher Sri Chinmoy’s writings for a spiritual perspective on the subject:

Charles: Does God like ice cream?

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, God does like ice cream because ice cream is the food of the human beings who love the childlike consciousness. God always treasures the child-consciousness; therefore, He likes ice cream. He eternally wants to remain in the child-consciousness. He is an eternal Child. Whatever a child likes, He also likes because that is the only way He can satisfy and please Himself. Because He is an eternal Child, He eternally likes ice cream.

Excerpt from God The Supreme Humourist Part 2 by Sri Chinmoy.

Collage of Chartered Boat Ride from Freeport New York to see Jones Beach 4th of July Fireworks

I was in Queens, New York this year on the 4th of July holiday weekend and enjoyed a “Joy Day” of activities with the local Sri Chinmoy Centre members to take part in Independence Day festivities – both traditional and nontraditional.

Although born in Bengal and living in India until the age of 32, Sri Chinmoy lived in New York for more than half his life – from 1964 to 2007. He wrote extensively about his appreciation of America, especially about the time of the nation’s birth and the Founding Fathers. See an overview of his writings on America here.

In 1975 Sri Chinmoy published a play about the nation’s birth called The Sacred Fire with a cast of characters including George Washington, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Mary Todd Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt. As part of our meditation function on the 4th of July. several people performed a scene from the play.

Scene from The Sacred Fire by Sri Chinmoy

A traditional holiday barbecue came next – vegetarian style – with veggie burgers and dogs and corn on the cob cooked on the grill. Excellent homemade salads, strawberry shortcake and more proved to be an unforgettable feast.

The day’s piece de resistance was yet to come. 100 of us joined together to rent an entire charter boat, the Miss Freeport V, which sailed out of Freeport on the South Shore of Long Island. Our destination was a spot off the coast to watch the Jones Beach Fireworks from the boat. Here is a little taste of the fireworks display with some patriotic music added to it for your viewing pleasure. Happy Birthday America – New York Style!