Saturday 28 September 2013

running race.

image


This weekend your post should begin with, ’5..4..3..2..1..’





'5..4..3..2..1..'    go and the sound of the clap-board fell on my ears and my feet sprung into action.

My gaze was alternating between  the two white parallel lines that I was sandwiched in , lest I waver and enter into another's territory , to get disqualified and the girl who was  a few paces ahead of me.

The spectators were cheering , 'faster ...faster.....  but I failed to realize for whom they were rooting. 

I made it to the finish line in the second place. I saw the teachers and spectators, alike , applauding the winner while I got a lukewarm response. Their partial indifference had a stinging effect on my pride and ego and this incident was boldly etched in my tender mind.I decided never to participate in a race.


But time is a great healer. I did not forget the incident but it certainly paled in comparison with time. I did participate in sports events but never could experience the thrill of the the thunderous roar of applause reserved for a winner.

A decade later ............

With increasing age and the experiences that came along as added baggage with it , life became a never-ending rat-race. Race was not just run on the school grounds but the long tracks of life. I was sucked into the vicious circle , unknowingly and unwillingly. But a subtle difference noticed was that the winner did not have the luxury of enjoying and basking in its halo as the thorns of competition and the insecurity of being replaced from the numero uno position always weighed down on the shoulders.  The lesser lucky mortals who missed the crown by a whisker were not lionhearted to join in the celebrations of applause wholeheartedly but donned a mask of fake smiles, and just waited for a slip to show-up to pull the carpet under the feet of the winner. The whole scenario was not encouraging.

Half-a decade later............

I decided wisely and at an appropriate time to hang up my boots. Nay, not conceded defeat but graciously , knowingly and willingly opted out of the life's rate-race to continue albeit eliminating competition and its associated ills. Now I am at peace with myself , no longer have to prove to the world and have shed the garb of expectation of a certificate or a medal.

I no longer have to run in the confined parameters of the designed tracks , adhering to the rules of the games or cast anxious glances at the person ahead of me or take pride, in the number of people who are trailing behind me. But this transformation was not overnight but was a continuous and gradual process , where I burnt the midnight  lamp to think and re-think of my step , a step that would take me up the ladder or push me down into the abyss of darkness when I read the wise words of J.Krishnamurti , ' Real learning comes about when the competitive spirit has ceased.'  

Being older and wiser I agree to Franklin D.Roosevelt - 'Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further , but cooperation , which is the thing we must strive for today , begins where competition leaves off'.


Dear readers , what are your views? Do you agree with me?



This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda


12 comments:

  1. I do agree with you, Kalpana.
    In the movie- '3 Idiots', Boman Irani's character, Virus asks the new batch's Engineering-students on the 1st Day- "Who was the 1st person on the Moon?" Many hands are up, while when he asks, "Who was the 2nd person on the Moon?", there are no takers. Though being a Quizzer, I do know the answer, still the truth is the 1st position is important in a race. Coming 2nd or 3rd or 4th (like Milkha Singh & PT Usha in the Olympics) does not have that much status/importance.
    I believe the best competition is with oneself.
    I indulge in it all the time as I love challenging myself to greater achievements! :)

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  2. Anita, I had this scene of 3 Idiots in mind as I started this post. Nobody remembers the 2nd , 3rd or 4th person but these person have put forward their best foot but are undermined. And better one's own performance from time to time is the greatest achievement and I pat my back for every effort that I make.Your comment is like a silver lining . Thank you so much.

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  3. I agree with you, Kalpana. The person we should compete against is ourselves - keep getting better at what we do. I like the way you to this prompt forwa!rd - very thought-provoking

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    1. Thank you Corinne. If one is able to compete successfully with one-self to better oneself it is akin to scaling Mt. Everest.

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  4. very well said..a race to win and even the winners are not allowed any peace of , the next race awaits...

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    Replies
    1. Uneasiness lies the head that wears the crown , is rightly said.

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  5. A very wonderful thought here. As somebody said, "I am in competition with no one, I run my own race, I have no desire to play the game of being better than anyone, in any way, shape, or form. I just aim to improve, to be better than I was before. That's me and I'm free".

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  6. wonderful thoughts, Kalpana ! Somehow I feel, No 1 gets the importance only because of the No 2 and 3 and 4 behind him....without them, he wouldn't be No 1 :-(
    On a serious note, we all are firsts somewhere and seconds and thirds somewhere else.....
    All depends on how well we absorb the lessons :)
    beautifully written :)

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  7. “You must get rid of the thought of competition. You are to create, not to compete for what is already created.” – Wallace Wattles.

    I am with you in this race.

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  8. “You must get rid of the thought of competition. You are to create, not to compete for what is already created.” – Wallace Wattles

    I am with you in this race.

    ReplyDelete
  9. “You must get rid of the thought of competition. You are to create, not to compete for what is already created.” – Wallace Wattles

    I am with you in this race

    ReplyDelete
  10. “You must get rid of the thought of competition. You are to create, not to compete for what is already created.” – Wallace Wattles

    I am with you in this race

    ReplyDelete

please show some love......