One of my friends called me last week and said: “Munna, there’s a bad news that I must share with you”. I asked eagerly: “What?” He then told me that the prices of Sony Bravia, he also bought one along with me, have come down and now he’s feeling bad. I snapped back “ What’s bad in that? Wasn’t that the best bargain which we could have got at that particular time?” Well, my friend then jokingly told me how he admires my way of thinking and how it’s not that easy for everyone to think that way.
I wondered what’s so difficult about it? The example that I gave above is just one more reminder of the way life goes on. You can’t deal with past. Or in other words, you can’t change past. And that’s the very reason that I never regret what I have done in past. Of course, there are few decisions that have not turned out the way I expected them to, but those were the best decisions that I could have taken at that point of time. Or at least, I would like to believe so.
I believe in living life without any regrets and respecting all my decisions is one of the ways to do so. Because respecting your decisions also mean respecting yourself. And if any our decisions have really gone bad, we make it worse for ourselves by thinking too much about it. If possible, take corrective actions, otherwise just take it as a lesson and move on.
I know it’s better said than done. But do we have an option? Don’t want to make this post too philosophical but it’s very important that we don’t take notice of things which make us unhappy. There are so many things in life we can be thankful and be happy for!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
And Then I Cried Again
March, 1996: I got the first experience of something that you feel when your dream gets shattered. I couldn’t stop my tears when India lost to Sri Lanka in WC Semi-finals and then had my little sister consoling me.
March, 2003: So near and yet so far. Had matured with age, so I didn’t cry this time but was devastated when India lost to Australia in the WC Finals.
Everyone in India is either a cricket expert or a movie critic or a political advisor. As an Indian, you get one or more of the three things in legacy from your parents: Cricket. Movies. Politics. I got a bit of all three but then got more passionate about one of them: Cricket.
I, like any other Indian, have lived cricket. Played in 45 degrees of temperature. Involved in those fights during inter-colony matches. Watched the whole night of cricket of Indian tours to West Indies. Bunked school for even a match against Zimbabwe. Stood for almost 8 hours in front of pawnshops. I, like all Indians of my generation, have heard those stories of our team’s triumph at the Lords in 1983. And then have watched umpteen times the highlights of that final and listened to the ’83 champions before every successive world cup. And had only one wish: India be the World Champion again.
There were two instances when we had a good go at the title. But the tale in 1996 was the same as of any other matches of nineties: India surrendered meekly after that One man got out. And in 2003, we really played like champions but lost to a better team. To a better team or a weaker team: we lost. I always felt that pinch of not winning that elusive trophy.
So when everyone tipped India as the favorites for this years WC, I was a little skeptical. Yes, we had the strongest batting lineup but still..Who knows…And the group league matches vindicated my suspicion. But then came the QF against Aussies : We avenged the 2003 loss. And SF against Pakis: can’t say anything about that match. But it was the final which gave me butterflies. Is history going to repeat itself? Are we again going to succumb the ’96 way?
But this is 2011. New India. New team. And the team that fulfilled the dream of 1.2 billion Indians. That massive six from Dhoni was like a punch to the whole world and the announcement that we are not only the economical power of cricket but also the on field super power. And then we all erupted in joy! I was so overwhelmed that I could not shout. I was holding my tears back, somehow, but couldn’t stop myself from crying when I saw HIS eyes in tears.
The whole context behind this win was required to show how fans like me are feeling right now. People who have seen India crumbling in every world cup and waited all this while. Just imagine what HE must be feeling then!
I have already written a complete post on HIM but is anything ever going to be sufficient when you want to write/say something about HIM? HE participated in 6 world cups and I have seen all those world cups (though I wasn’t a complete fan during ’92 WC but I still remember HIS destruction of Pak and NZ). Have seen HIM disappointed after every world cup. Can’t forget his face when he received Man of The Tournament for 2003 WC. Have seen a burning desire in his eyes to get hold of that only coveted jewel missing from the crown of the greatest cricketer ever! (Who’s Don Bradman btw?) This cup is for YOU. And Virat Kohli actually summed it up when he replied to a question asked by a journalist why they were carrying HIM on their shoulders “ Well, HE has carried the country for 21 years on HIS shoulders”. YOU did not owe this to YOUR country. We owe it to YOU. Thanks for being born an Indian and giving us one more reason to be proud of the fact that we are Indians! So now, that great man got what HE wanted. And also, a South African became an Indian forever. I think I can go on and on.
And then after the presentation ceremony, we went to the MG Road. I remember watching on TV how about one million fans thronged the Eiffel tower when France won the ’98 Soccer WC. Well, this was our day. It was tricolor, dhol, chants of “Indiaaaa-Indiaaaa”, “Sachinnnn-Sachinnn”, “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Matram” everywhere you can see. Headcount should be almost 100,000!! And we danced, hugged and cheered with total strangers with only one thing in common: We were Indians and were on top of the world! The world should hear the noise when 1/6th of the humanity celebrates.
02.04.2011 will go into the history as one of the happiest days of any Indian’s life. And it should be like that only. We will remember our whole life the exact place we were at when Dhoni hit that six. This feeling is unmatchable and will take some time to sink in. Till then, Indiaaaaaaaaa-Indiaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!
PS: When I bought Sony Bravia LED TV just before WC, I told everyone that my TV will be lucky for India. And it proved to be!!
March, 2003: So near and yet so far. Had matured with age, so I didn’t cry this time but was devastated when India lost to Australia in the WC Finals.
Everyone in India is either a cricket expert or a movie critic or a political advisor. As an Indian, you get one or more of the three things in legacy from your parents: Cricket. Movies. Politics. I got a bit of all three but then got more passionate about one of them: Cricket.
I, like any other Indian, have lived cricket. Played in 45 degrees of temperature. Involved in those fights during inter-colony matches. Watched the whole night of cricket of Indian tours to West Indies. Bunked school for even a match against Zimbabwe. Stood for almost 8 hours in front of pawnshops. I, like all Indians of my generation, have heard those stories of our team’s triumph at the Lords in 1983. And then have watched umpteen times the highlights of that final and listened to the ’83 champions before every successive world cup. And had only one wish: India be the World Champion again.
There were two instances when we had a good go at the title. But the tale in 1996 was the same as of any other matches of nineties: India surrendered meekly after that One man got out. And in 2003, we really played like champions but lost to a better team. To a better team or a weaker team: we lost. I always felt that pinch of not winning that elusive trophy.
So when everyone tipped India as the favorites for this years WC, I was a little skeptical. Yes, we had the strongest batting lineup but still..Who knows…And the group league matches vindicated my suspicion. But then came the QF against Aussies : We avenged the 2003 loss. And SF against Pakis: can’t say anything about that match. But it was the final which gave me butterflies. Is history going to repeat itself? Are we again going to succumb the ’96 way?
But this is 2011. New India. New team. And the team that fulfilled the dream of 1.2 billion Indians. That massive six from Dhoni was like a punch to the whole world and the announcement that we are not only the economical power of cricket but also the on field super power. And then we all erupted in joy! I was so overwhelmed that I could not shout. I was holding my tears back, somehow, but couldn’t stop myself from crying when I saw HIS eyes in tears.
The whole context behind this win was required to show how fans like me are feeling right now. People who have seen India crumbling in every world cup and waited all this while. Just imagine what HE must be feeling then!
I have already written a complete post on HIM but is anything ever going to be sufficient when you want to write/say something about HIM? HE participated in 6 world cups and I have seen all those world cups (though I wasn’t a complete fan during ’92 WC but I still remember HIS destruction of Pak and NZ). Have seen HIM disappointed after every world cup. Can’t forget his face when he received Man of The Tournament for 2003 WC. Have seen a burning desire in his eyes to get hold of that only coveted jewel missing from the crown of the greatest cricketer ever! (Who’s Don Bradman btw?) This cup is for YOU. And Virat Kohli actually summed it up when he replied to a question asked by a journalist why they were carrying HIM on their shoulders “ Well, HE has carried the country for 21 years on HIS shoulders”. YOU did not owe this to YOUR country. We owe it to YOU. Thanks for being born an Indian and giving us one more reason to be proud of the fact that we are Indians! So now, that great man got what HE wanted. And also, a South African became an Indian forever. I think I can go on and on.
And then after the presentation ceremony, we went to the MG Road. I remember watching on TV how about one million fans thronged the Eiffel tower when France won the ’98 Soccer WC. Well, this was our day. It was tricolor, dhol, chants of “Indiaaaa-Indiaaaa”, “Sachinnnn-Sachinnn”, “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Matram” everywhere you can see. Headcount should be almost 100,000!! And we danced, hugged and cheered with total strangers with only one thing in common: We were Indians and were on top of the world! The world should hear the noise when 1/6th of the humanity celebrates.
02.04.2011 will go into the history as one of the happiest days of any Indian’s life. And it should be like that only. We will remember our whole life the exact place we were at when Dhoni hit that six. This feeling is unmatchable and will take some time to sink in. Till then, Indiaaaaaaaaa-Indiaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!
PS: When I bought Sony Bravia LED TV just before WC, I told everyone that my TV will be lucky for India. And it proved to be!!
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