Sunday, March 21, 2010

Two ways

You can look at everything in two ways. For example, the cynical among you may think that I lost badly to a youngster whom I defeated last week in a game of tennis, almost so badly that I should be prevented from picking up a tennis racquet again. The other way to look at it would be that I built character today, learned how to look at defeat as objectively as victory, understood that winning is not the ultimate goal, participating is.

Those who look at the episode on the tennis court this morning in the second way are my true friends. Those who choose to be pessimistic, obnoxious, negative and severely juvenile by thinking of the whole thing the first way, consider the following:

o When I am successful and am invited to a party held to celebrate my spectacularly brilliant success, you will not be on the list. While you stand in the line outside the posh night-club where people throw a glitzy party in my honour while people who were insightful and intelligent to think of this morning's experience in the second manner are ushered inside the club by comely escorts and offered a choice of champagne and kokum sharbat at the entrace, think whether it was worth being so petty.

o When I am so successful that it almost should be illegal and you are not and I am travelling with my posse of admirers, body-guards and general populace truly in love with me, while you are sweating the sweltering heat at the side of the road, forcefully restrained at that location by the police till my cavalcade passes, you will surely wonder whether I would have spotted you in the crowd, stopped the procession and given you a ride in ultimately luxurious vehicle that I happen to be travelling in if only you had thought of the unmentionable incident of this morning in the second way.

All I am saying is that there are two ways of looking at everything, and it never hurts to look at things in a positive way.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Take that, age 22

Good: I played two hours of tennis under a scorching Sun, with a guy 14 years younger to me (and who supposedly played the state circuit). Started by knocking the ball around followed by a set, which I won 6-2.

Bad: My whole body will be sore all day today and tomorrow while he will sail through the way an annoying 22 year old is likely to.

Ugly: Did not even make the cut last year. However, I will win this year because fighter hamesha jeetta hai.