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

Alone you can do so little; together we can do so much ;)

 Thoughts have been going around in mind since the world cup season started but then I couldn’t find time to jot it down.

Besides engaging myself at work, these days giving time to read. Reading is like spending time to reflect and I am sure those who write would agree with me that it is important to reflect and read because that helps 😊.

Having said all of that, my main topic is about the game. Indeed, last time I was cheering for Brazil, Spain and then we all know what happened. But hey, that didn’t let me lose hope this year I cheered for Brazil and I wished for Argentina to make it to the finals and play opposite to Brazil, I did support Spain and with all that has happened I did support Croatia and was really happy to see they won the match against England. 

I have friends all over the world and the beauty about this so called ‘diversity’ is that you change jobs, you meet new people from different parts of the world and it’s an engaging experience. I have so many friends from England and felt sorry to see their reaction when they asked me ‘Why Croatia?’

Yes, it is hard to justify anyone when you are not from one of those countries who is participating in the world cup. I feel I am above all those barriers. To me its people and as I watch and read about these players my support and cheer goes to those and main reason to be with Croatia is because of the captain of the team Modric. I sincerely felt that match they should win because of their performance on the field.

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up” ~ Babe Ruth

Anyway, I was more here to share my thoughts in the form of poetry, when I thought of soccer and golf:

Happen to be a fan of soccer as a kid and played in the rain too

Eleven players on a rectangular field with spherical ball

Run and chase around without touching the ball with hands,

Only to put the ball in the oppositions goal to score a point,

You use your feet to strike or pass the ball around,

When you make a goal against the opposite team,

Depending who scored highest will win,

If they are equal, then it’s a draw and if not,

You get extra time to play or penalty shootout,

To make things even with your opponent,

Isn’t that something we all would like 😊,

When we are losing, or struggling an extra time can help,

Soccer the rough game we play by kicking and heading,

Running and chase to get the ball and put it in others post,

For all this one does some tricks, kick and play foul too,

Like a punishment a colorful card is given to you by referee,

What a fun game which originated as a kick ball.

The I saw this club and ball sport called Golf,

The players will use various clubs to hit the ball

Into series of holes on a Golf course in as few strokes,

This one needs usually has progressing 18 holes,

For some recreational ones have 9 holes,

Each hole on the course must have a tee box,

And putting green with actual hole or cup,

Each hole on a course is unique in specific layout,

Golf is played with lowest strokes called stroke play,

Or lowest in the entire round called match play,

Some say it originated from Romans paganica and

Some say it originated from China chuiwan or is it the

Cambuca or chaugan or kolven, wherever it originated,

The rule is to play with all fairness,

I often looked the two balls and wondered…

How two balls make the world go crazy around

Some with teeing ground and some with rectangular field

One is individual and the other is the team sport

All I know soccer is fun even if you kick one another!!!

 That reminds me the weekend is busy with finals I am excited, are you?

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships” ~ Michael Jordan

~ Dawn