Question: Sometimes the boys fool around in physical ways like in wrestling. Is that okay to do at certain times or is it not good to do at all?
Sri Chinmoy (jokingly): Boys should be boys; girls should be girls. Boys should show their muscle-power and vital power, and girls should show their gossip-capacity …. I didn't say that.A little bit is good. But there is a great difference between exuberance and violence. Again, sometimes innocent exuberance can lead to destructive violence. Many times it starts in a joking manner. Then somebody's ego is hurt and it becomes a serious fight. It starts with innocence, but that innocence does not remain. If you can maintain the innocent fun throughout, then it is very good. Then all the undivine vital qualities go out of the body.
No one is better than Ashrita in this respect. Ashrita is the best. When Ashrita divine goes into our kitchen and sees Casey, if he tears off Casey's T-shirt, then what are you going to do? Someone will give Casey the money to buy another shirt, so there is no harm. But in the name of exercise, to test his strength, if he presses Casey's thumb and breaks it, that is very bad. The shirt can easily be replaced but if the thumb is damaged, then how can you replace it?
So fun I appreciate, but it has to remain altogether innocent and harmless. If it becomes violent and ends in physical injuries, then it has to be totally stopped. Showing off vital capacities or exuberant capacities is necessary; otherwise, you will have a life of gloom, frustration and depression that is infinitely, infinitely worse than the outer vital excitement.
