The recently held 92nd Scripps Spelling Bee ended in a historic eight way tie.  The eight winners survived gruelling rounds of elimination to beat out 546 competitors.  Of the eight winners, six were of Indian descent.

Of Indian descent himself, Anil Jethmal watched the celebration on television and paid particular attention to the "post game" interviews.  When the jubilant children, ranging in ages 12-14, were asked to what they attributed their success in the competition, a common theme emerged.  The Indian children, in particular, credited their success to meditation.

An amused Anil Jethmal harkened back to his own childhood.  His parents often spoke about the powers of medtation in enhancing focus and often encouraged a then 10 year old Anil to meditate prior to studying for and taking exams.  While meditation was not nearly the rage in the US as it is now, Anil would surreptitiosly and half-heartedly "meditate".

Over the years, as meditation has become more mainstream in the US, Anil has discovered many of the wonderful results that meditation has had on him.  His only regret, he recalls wistfully, is that he did not start at a younger age.