Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone deserves a second chance.

Today I am going to talk about an incident that took place while I was in tenth grade. Some mischiefs that we do when we are young, and it puts an impression for life long. I remember it was our inter-school field hockey competition and we were actually visiting the other school this time.

We caught the Pune Municipal Corporation public transport bus and along with the team our sports teacher Mrs. Bose was also accompanying us. Mrs. Bose told us before leaving the school ground, that if we win the game with other schools, then she is going to take us to a big expensive restaurant for lunch and everyone got excited. This was teams first trip to go out of the home ground and play otherwise, usually our school is always the host.

We reached the host's school ground and got introduced to the scorer, selector and coaches and teachers of other schools and went back to our seating area. After looking at the lists and exchanging the team players names with the main scorer and selector, our teacher came and said, girls are you ready to win? and we all roared in one chorus yeah!!!!!

Everyone took their position, I was at left center half position and we played like a team. Team was very good in passing and I was always the one who was fast in hitting the ball so as soon the ball came to me I hit it and it was a goal!!!! Everyone cheered us and we team hugged and back to work, our opponent team was not happy and they started playing foul by hitting with the hockey stick left and right. Some got the warning and some got out of the team but we did get injured. I still remember after that win when we gathered and my school teacher said to me you have been selected as I saw your name on the list, I was on ninth cloud and suddenly my teacher said where's that blood coming from, on your shoe? It was a white colored shoe and a drop of blood fell on it and I didn't realize that I was hit by that hockey stick and the blood was coming from my right hand thumb. 

"Grown ups are complicated creatures, full of quirks and secrets." ~ Roald Dahl 

Immediately first-aid was arranged and everything was taken care. We were done here and were supposed to be out for lunch so everyone was happy. After a great lunch at the restaurant we headed to go back to our school and then home. As we all were excited everyone was happy and felt as if we rule the world. It's that age and the win and the appreciation, it was all that effect and we ran to sit in the bus on the last seat. 

"Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to error that counts." ~ Nikki Giovani

We all sat and were talking loud and suddenly there was a guy who got into the bus and sat in front of us. He was big and the two-seater seat was fully taken by him and in a funny way I said, who's this elephant? I was not expecting that he would be able to hear me but the moment he turned back I, immediately apologized as suddenly I felt that's not me.

"You have to make mistakes to find out who you aren't. You take the action, and the insight follows: You don't think your way into becoming yourself." ~ Anne Lamott

It seems the guy also recognized that, because the way my face expression changed and I apologized - he said its okay but you shouldn't say that to anyone. I thanked him.

That day and till now, I have never made fun of anyone. I don't judge anyone. I have come to the understanding that everyone has their own story and we are no one to pass judgement to anyone. Let's live and let other's live. Life has so much to offer just enjoy and share your happiness if you can and move along.

"You need to give yourself permission to be human." ~ Joyce Brothers

~ Dawn

Note: Now you can listen to the audio version of my blogs in Hindi on the UshaDawn Hindi Podcast on Google, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Check it out and new episodes uploaded every day 3 AM Pacific Standard Time

Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play!

 

Today's topic is playing sports. How many of you like to play sports? or watch sports? If you haven't played yourself and yet you like to watch sports that's a commendable thing as far as I am concerned because I see you as an ally for those who played sports and love to watch too.

                                                                Kabaddi 

As a kid, I always loved playing any sports. It didn't matter to me whether its cricket, hockey, volleyball, soccer (not the American one 😊 ), or even the local sports that we used to have in India, leg cricket (when we don't get the cricket kit we used to play with our legs and ball would be a football.), Kabaddi (contact team sport), KHO-KHO (one of the oldest outdoor sports of India), Pithoo (folk game played between two teams with a ball and rocks that can be placed on top of each other), and Gilli-Danda (played with two sticks one long and one short) and so forth.

"The five S's of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit." ~ Ken Doherty

                                                        Kho-Kho

                                                                    Pithoo

                                                        Gilli-Danda 

There is no limit if you try to find what to play, as long as I am on the ground that's all it mattered to me. I was more or less a tom-boy always on the ground playing sport until the street lights are on when someone from home - Mom or my brother would call, 'its late don't you have anything to study? 

"A trophy carries the dust. Memories last forever." ~ Mary Lou Retton

I don't know but I loved being on the ground and that's how since my elementary days I was a P.T. Usha (Queen of Indian track and field athlete ). I was a sprinter and always got lucky to win cups for my school, for my House (School divided into four different houses for sports and extra curricular activities). Looking at this my sports teacher would add my name in long jumps, hurdles and all these I played smoothly, that's when she said your potential is in Field Hockey.

                                                        Field Hockey

I was introduced to field hockey by my sports teacher, its not that I didn't know about the game as I was a big fan of Major Dhyan Chand (An Indian hockey player) but I had only heard and read about him because by the time I was playing he was not alive. But he was the inspiration.

One thing I learned being in my school hockey team, I learned the physical, emotional and interpersonal skills. I never looked around the to make friends as sports was a mode to make friends, my team - we were like five fingers of a hand and when came together we would become that fist and ready to attack - I mean to play hockey on the field. 

"Never give up, never give in, and when the upper hand is ours, may we have the ability to handle the win with the dignity that we absorbed the loss." ~ Doug Williams

Team sports always helps you to learn about sportsmanship, friendship, teaches you to respect one another, it helps creating strong relationships, and definitely improves your willpower. I feel I learned all this here. The care and support being a team player is so motivating that your coordination and communication skill on the ground can be seen and that team always wins who coordinates and communicates well on the ground through your hockey sticks and ball in this case.

We had played so many matches against different schools from different region and it really opened my eyes about what is a true sports person based on their game. There was this one team which we were playing against in Bombay, India and they were so rough players that I could see referee giving them the yellow card every now and then. We were new from that perspective and hence always followed what our coach taught us, to play like a professional and yet when we used to get hit by the opponents through their trick of using the hockey stick in such a way that players used to get hit under the chin. 

"The only way to prove that you're a good sport is to lose." ~ Ernie Banks

We lost to that team that match and we all were very upset. We knew that team didn't play like a professional there was nothing great about it but at the end our players were injured and were scared of their bad game and injuring us by different ways - all this made us feel biased and partial. 

But guess what, when the selections of players for Nationals were made not a single person from that team got selected and along with few of my team members I was also on the selection list to play for Nationals. 

This is a big thing, which means my more time and dedication towards the game and unfortunately I was not given to play as my parents believed you can't make a career out of sports, only one or two in millions make that stand so better focus in studies. 

"What makes something special is not just what you have to gain, but what you feel there is to lose." ~ Andre Agassi 

I have no regret though because sports teaches you so many things that your self-confidence and your strong will power lets you lead you where to focus on. Being a sports person it has completely changed me as a person and I feel I was lucky there!

Today's generation is so much into sports but that is only through devices mainly otherwise you have to be selected in the school sports and so forth which is another task for parents to travel around with their kids for each game. 

Team sports always teaches you how to lead, it helps you to reduce your stress, improve self-confidence, helps to develop social skills and not only this but helps you to be fit.

"Sports serves society by providing vivid examples of excellence." ~ George F. Will

~ Dawn

Note: Now you can listen to the audio version of my blogs in Hindi on the UshaDawn Hindi Podcast on Google, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Check it out and new episodes uploaded every day 3 AM Pacific Standard Time

A trophy carries dust. Memories last forever

A short story slam at Bluebell Books - 40th Week...

Growing up as a kid was always fun and the best part is that I am still growing up... !
Being raised as a human and less of a girl actually helped me to liberate and understand people better. It also gave me an opportunity to do things which often they said girls cant do.

It was one of those things where when lot of my friends were picking the sports such as volley ball and dodge ball, I picked up the hockey stick.

"Don't let the skirts fool you
we are more than just chicks with sticks
Hustle and hit and never quit"

Yes, I love field hockey till date and I enjoyed playing, learning and dribbling the ball on the field. It was a pride when my sport teacher Mrs Bose used to tell me that she has come to see the shot and after that she will go home... it always inspired me to do better always.

One of her favorite student was me and she always called me P.T. Usha (Indian gold medalist Ex-Olympic player in running). I used to be the runner who eventually turned into a hockey player.
I was a fast runner, good dribbler with the ball, my one shot at the ball would cross the field and my teacher used to just clap and say few words of encouragement with the note - 'keep it up'!

Sports has always attracted me to an extent that I am always on the ground and playing. My enthusiasm and interest in sports is what made my sports teacher Mrs Bose to select me in the hockey team. Everyday we used to practice in the school ground and on weekends our team used to get to practice in the prestigious ground in National Defense Academy (NDA), where the cadets used to play. We used to get coaching as well and Kariappa used to be one of them. Its a blessing.

Those who know Kariappa as a coach who actually used to train the National hockey team of women in India. I always feel it was that blessed moment. There were other coach who trained how to harm the opponents but soon he was replaced and we learned some good techniques of hockey.
I was at the position of Left Center Half... !

After all that practice and hard-work the day came when we had to play against two other schools. This was not only a moment to win but also to play strategically such that we are selected in the team for the nationals.

I always wanted to play nationals and this was my dream. We played with two schools, one was with KV Sadan Command school and other was from Bombay - KV Devlali. We as a team from KVK, NDA played at our best. There was unity, team spirit and our passing and coordination on the ground was much appreciated by the referee and other coaches as well.
We won with KV Sadan Command but the Bombay girls were big and furious - I still have marks on my thumb that was hit by the hockey stick of the opposite team. Falling, hitting nothing ever mattered to me when I am on the field and so I performed well even though we lost with KV Devlali. 
We had a great lunch at a 3 star restaurant as promised by our teacher Mrs Bose and I was told that I am selected for the nationals as well....but that year I scored less in my grade and hence from home everyone suggested sports is good for fun but not for career... and thus my dream to be a national player remained like a dream.

Today I live my dream looking at other hockey players and lacrosse player such as my daughter ;) I still get goose bumps when I watch a sport on the ground in the stadium....!

A dream that didn't come true yet, I live in every player that I watch. 

"You may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one. I hope someday you will join me ;) and the world will live as one" ~ John Lennon

~ Dawn