Happy New Year 2013

As I hear a video about the most debated topic of the day, the Delhi gang rape, I am writing this article with much grief and pain. I strongly hope the punishments be severe enough to bring fear in the minds of people who dare to attempt such barbaric acts in future.

Now amidst the year end celebrations going on all around the World, let us not forget there are many people on this same planet still struggling to fulfill their hunger, cover their bodies properly and have a decent place to stay. It will be unimaginably arrogant to blame their destinies for their present horrible situations. As we gear up to greet the new year with all enthusiasm and zeal, lets not forget these poor unfortunate souls present all around us. Let us not show blind eyes to their pathetic condition and should do whatever we could to bring smiles to these less priviledged friends around us ateleast on these festive occasions.

I am not trying to be philosophical but just trying to root myself in reality and see what can be done from my side to the underpriviledged beings around me. As small as getting them a meal, giving them your clothes and even a smile from you as you pass them can make their day. So let us take conscious efforts to do whatever we could to bring smiles on the faces of the underprivileged souls that surround us. A quote which comes to my mind right now is "A million of drops make the ocean". So if each one of us does what we could do to help these not so lucky friends as we are, I am sure that the cummulative effect with time will be stunning and beyond our imagination.

Let this new year give you right opportunities to enhance your potential and multiply your joys

Wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2013

Earphones or Spouses

Hello excuse me, can you guide me where this place is ? (with address in my hand) I politely asked my fellow traveler in a not so crowed city bus on fine afternoon. There was no help, leave aside the help there was no response in the first place from that person. He was looking outside through the window lost in the undisciplined array of vehicles. I just increased my volume a few notches to grasp his attention "can you please tell me where is this place, when should I get down ? Still no response. I was puzzled with his behavior. As I had little time to waste, I took the help of another fellow passenger who willingly extended his helping hand generously.

Still the the thought why didn't the first fellow respond to my query was nagging me. For the rest of the whole journey I watched him carefully to know whether he was deaf. No evidences so far. Restlessness kept creeping through my blood into my head. Finally I could not but stop myself from directly approaching him to make him aware about the whole issue. Just when I was about to get out of my seat (moved to other vacant seat for confirming which stop to get down), he got up to get down in a hurry. That is when I understood that he was so far in a planet of his own. I mean he pulled out his earphones (his long tresses hid them so far) just as he was getting down. Now I could breathe a sigh of relief as my restlessness that was taking the form of Nilam (latest storm that hit east coast of India) just managed to cross the coast without causing much damage. Ha ha ha ha !!

Though it may look funny on the surface, such incidents portray the sad status of the youth of today. Today if you walk on the street of any city or a town, 7 out of 10 walking people will be doing a walk dance to the music that is ringing in their ears. This is true with people travelling in buses, trains and sometimes cars too. Even people can't jog in the beautiful morning weather without their earphones on. So what ? is the very obvious question which is jumping out from your mind immediately now.

If you are little sensible you can see there are a few potential hazards if not many by this careless attitude shown by such people on the road. First and foremost thing is that you are putting your very life at risk when you cross the road with the music on. Secondly people have to increase the earphone sound decibels to unwarranted limits to beat the external noisy traffic. Researches suggest that if you are listening with your earphones on for more than 2 hrs a day, you are prone to various illnesses (both mental and physical) and that is not the least, you may even go deaf with time. Thirdly psychologically you may become isolated (like my fellow passenger) not able to use the opportunity to interact with different kinds of fellow beings around you during your journey. Above all the music which so far was entertaining you and filling you with boundless joy will turn to become just a noise dampener. Anything in excess will turn detrimental.

So why do we need this ever ringing earphones in the first place? I feel we do these things to keep our minds engaged since it has become like a notorious monkey that keeps jumping from one place to another without any motive or purpose. We try to chain it through music. But actually we are fooling ourselves by doing this. The mind monkey is very cunning it will learn to dance to your music with time. So after sometime the same music which transported you to heaven will appear looking like hell (now you can relate the situation, I think :))

Am I against music or enjoyment ?, a big definite "NO" is what my response will be. Music is such a benediction and my heart pains to see it being converted into a curse. Lets enjoy the music to its core without reducing it just as earplugs to escape from our mind and mindless traffic of today. In addition, while travelling we get to meet such diverse personalities from different parts of the society, of different sex, caste, culture etc I feel it will be wise to make use of this opportunity to build relationship with people around us. Remember no matter where you are you always have an opening to learn something new if you are truly willing. That is the beauty of this creation. Lets realize it until it is too late. The sooner, the better

Now that my stop has come, I will get down and will go in search of the address. Oh no !! my earphones are not working....ha ha ha ha ... definitely not for music but for receiving the calls, I use them.

Goal Keeping and My Broken Finger

Games and injuries are almost inseparable and this statement becomes a fact in case of football. Recently our team (Energy Hawks) was getting ready for a corporate tournament starting next month. Since our aspirations were high, we started our practice sessions pretty early, this time a month in advance.



My Swollen left ring finger

 Me being the goal keeper of my team, was always at d receiving end (fate of a Goalie :)). One the very first day of the practice we started out with warm up sessions. It was nice to see almost the whole team together on the ground pushing and pulling. Our bodies were little stiff as most of them have returned to the ground after about one year time. Sedentary lifestyle of the corporates would put even the fastest man Usain Bolt in slow motion mode, so we were trying to make our bodies take our instructions. So after the warm out, there were sessions of dribbling and then long shoots at the goal. One goal post and am the only goal keeper and there are almost 15 people firing at you from all directions. Now you can understand why I mentioned that I am always at the receiving end. So that’s how Goal keeper job goes and the most important thing is that I enjoy to b at the receiving end every time. I thrive well under pressure and I feel that’s what makes me a strong last line of defense between the opposition and the goal post.

Plastered finger

After a few minutes of corner practice, it’s now time for my favorite one (not anymore though :( ), the penalty kicks. I always enjoyed stopping penalty kicks. With good anticipation and quick reflexes, I always try to outwit the shooter. One after the other people started shooting, I could save few (really tough ones) and tried desperately to save others too in vain. After a while I was tired coz goal keeping during penalty is really resource intensive, demands lot of alertness and concentration. At this point of time did this incident happen, when one of my friends shot the ball and it came in a very awkward height (close to my right ribs). In an attempt to stop it with both hands, my hands went in the direction of the ball. Ouch…!! The ball kissed the ring finger of my left hand and then rebounced with the same force. I was in a deadly pain. Even after that I kept for few more hits, and then the pain kept on increasing. Only now did I realize that I had done something to my finger.

My team mates saw me that I was uncomfortable and bit concerned, so they extended their helping hands to me. On that night I drove back to my home in the bike (clutching was painful yet manageable). The whole night I was not able to sleep because of pain and the finger got swollen badly (figure).

Next day two of my team mates took me to the hospital and then through X-ray it was identified as a hairline fracture. So now that it is plastered (figure) for 3 weeks’ time, I am desperately praying to God that my finger should get healed soon, so that I can play the tournament (13th August, 2012). Hope God is listening to me :))

Finger may be broken but not my aspiration certainly. I am not ready to settle for anything but “The Champion” title :)))