Buddha Mil Gaya

I was on my Wild West trip to Udaipur and other cities nearby. Ultimately I was so stuck with the scenery I saw in Udaipur, I didn’t feel like seeing any other city in Rajasthan. After a day of visits to city palace, Lake Palace, there was something I was missing. I didn’t mind traveling alone, infact it was great. Udaipur is full of lakes,

On our way to Mount Abu, we saw the setting of a famous song in QSQT; I wished my dear friend was around to experience the feeling alongside me.

But none could match the beauty of Gurshikar, the highest point of Mount Abu, which I was about to see in some time.

The walk we took was like a walk in the clouds, literally it was. I was accompanied by Raj and Nitin, whom I got to know from Raj. Both are from Udaipur and surprisingly, it was Raj’s first outing to Mount Abu as well.

We reached Mount Abu, at around 10:30 in the morning.

This was the entrance to Mount Abu.

Getting soaked in the clouds was something new to us, and it was hard to dissemble our feelings on experiencing such a thing.

After spending few hours at the peak, we decided to go to another place called Achalgarah. Legend has it; it was the place once Pandavas stayed during their exile.

I was not feeling well, since I am scared of heights. But I did ring the bell at the highest point of Mount Abu. Later, because of my condition, I was hesitant to visit the temple. But inside me, I felt, let me go. It might get better.

We were letting off our footwear, just when a boy held me and told me, “Saab, Guide chahiye”. I was not interested and then he told me- “Saab, sirf das rupaiya”. I got a mixed feeling, "ok, It is just 10 bucks", I wondered.

Still I was not convinced as to what made me to hire him.

After our initial visit to the Shiva temple, we started our climb to the next place, the Jain temple.

Camera wasn’t allowed inside the Jain temple.

Next stop was a kilometer climb till we reached the peak of Achalgarah. It is a proclivity in me to know about a person whoever he or she may be. I make that extra effort in knowing them.

Name: Suraj, 12 years of age studying in 6^th grade at a school which is about 8 kilometers from his house. He was our guide.

I was asking him about how he goes about his daily life-“I go to school early in the morning, I return by noon and then I start earning by being a guide. My father earns through selling dolls and my mom makes them. My brother also studies in the same class even though he is 4 years elder to me”, he smartly replied.

Interesting, I said to myself.

He later shifted his thoughts towards the reality of life. He was telling, “To be good in life, its like climbing”, we did realize, since it was getting tough as we went up step by step. Déjà vu.

He looked a normal kid, who is 3 ft tall, carried an umbrella and more importantly the right words in order to keep the tourists like us in a jolly mood even when it was little tough physically to climb. He had a torn pair of hawai chappals, but had a good grip even though he experienced the occasional slip. His shayris were assuaging to our ears.

“Saab, life has its own fun; it isn’t easy but certainly not a difficult one”, he murmured

We reached finally after a 25 min climb, we were thirsty.

Flash, he gave us a bottle of water and said drink it, it’s pure. It was indeed, the most delightful drink I ever gulped in my life and I did wash my face with it. I was rejuvenated. I had symptoms of throwing up previously, it went away. I am not joking.

He asked me- “Saab, are u from England?” I told him, why son, am I not speaking good Hindi? He replied back-“I am confused, as to how come an English guy speaking such good Hindi”.

I told him, I am a South Indian and I come from Bangalore. I wasn’t surprised either when he raised his eyebrows when he heard the word “Bangalore”.

So there you are some people still don’t have an idea about Bangalore.

Later he started telling about people’s nature. How it resembled the animal food chain. There are predators who feed on innocent, lucky people are those, who escape the slaughter of these predators. Only time decides how lucky they are. But we must not feel bad for the innocent ones because it is a pleasure to lead a life, however short it maybe.

Well, we had a puzzled look. Enigma, well I heard it in history lessons in World War II chapters, this was nothing short of it.

Soon, it started raining, he said “follow me”, and he took us to a small stone cave where space was enough for four of us to cover.

This is the cave and it was ready so that we could sit in and take shelter.

Later Suraj took us to another cave which was very dark and he told a sanyasi does his meditation inside it. Well, we didn’t want to go fully inside.

Now few people know the fact that, I have a problem with heights. I am shit scared of heights. Just when I was realizing, something needs to be done for this boy, the whole fear went and I was looking down and never before I felt like this. I was walking as though, there isn’t any fear. Even on slippery roads, I was confident I would be reaching Bangalore and write an article on him. Thanks to him, I am writing now.

By now we were convinced as to why we were here.

While returning back, he slipped and for a moment we thought, oh god, but he is a God’s gift, nothing can stop him from reaching greater heights than the peak of Achalgarah.

He showed us his hut from the top and we hoped, this kid continues to enlighten many people in the future.

Five minutes, we were down.

It took us 25 min to climb and just 5 min to come back.

He explained-“There are short cuts and long roads in life, to learn something which is good, we must never hesitate to take the longer route. He asked, whether we were satisfied by taking the longer route or shorter route?”.

We didn’t answer that question but on personal terms we did answer it and kept it to ourselves.

Little Buddha, I called him, and destined that we were to get enlightened.

As his name tells, Suraj, his face resembled the brightness of sun and his eyes, never seen such powerful eyes.

At the top of Mount Abu, and behind me are the clouds not fog.

the clouds which covered us!!!

We didn’t want him to give money because they are poachers one being his elder brother.

We wanted to give him a nice pair of slippers so that he never slips again and continues to do the good work.

We didn’t find a shop when we got down, and already his brother started approaching us and told us to give him the money since Suraj was a kid.

We gave a 50 rupee note and told Suraj to buy himself a pair of nice chappals.

We told him that we trust him and he promised us he won’t misuse the money.

As soon as he got the money, his brother came running and tried to snatch it from him.

Suraj gave him a slap, and we just groaned at his brother, he was off running to save himself from further humiliation.

All 3 of us, looked at him for one last time, he gave a smile.

If I was still wondering as to why I chose him to be the guide, I would be a fool. Luckily I didn’t ask that question.

Off we went, and that’s it. It was 2 hours with him and 120 minutes of enlightenment.

I have heard Buddha and his guiding ways, well this time around I saw, in fact we all 3 sensed it.

My trip was worthwhile and for me I got a sense about how beautiful my life can become.

It was the attitude and he certainly did show me a broader sense of being alive and being purposeful in what I do.

Hope in India, we nurture such kids. I am not worried about him, as he is strong enough to take care of himself.

If I get a chance, I want to go back and meet Suraj; I hope talking to him many would have got their questions answered.

When I am low, I know where I would get my questions answered.

Koi Mil Gaya, Maloom nahin, Buddha zaroor mila .

A hunk/ hulk who found his Ferrari

I was being profligate when I missed many opportunities to realize a lot of things in me which could have made a difference. For not achieving what I could have, my feelings were astringent. I did realize my faults within me, when I felt bad once taking pleasure in noticing faults in others.

Me being very low after missing opportunities, I always used to turn to people around me because nothing from my inner voice was acceptable. It’s almost like stone walling it.

By the way this turned out to be another mistake. I always got an answer from others perspective. Very few situations provided me the exact facts. My mom was one who made me accept the bitter medicine and advised to be pragmatic than looking out for the perfect solution, which isn’t there according to me.

One of the things I was able to achieve was me not becoming more and more credulous about things I go through. Unless I was convinced totally, I would have never agreed on a personal front but more importantly started acquiring the art of appreciating others in the way they went about life and their thoughts.

The demeanour quotient in me seemed increasing and slowly I was listening more than talking. I found a new friend who was very shy but powerful when I went to him with any of my problems.

He always had one vision and was absolute recalcitrant in the decisions he took. He never forced me to believe his thoughts but he was always right. I used to have quibbles with him over certain things but more I was arguing the more I was getting convinced that I was wrong.

It’s my fortune to say, to have found a friend in him. But he keeps telling me even he is grateful to me to have accepted him. He keeps telling me I found him in a broken down position and fixed him. But the truth is he fixed me. And I guess in a way, we fixed each other too.

He is my only friend who is available anytime and never asks anything in return. Instead he just keeps telling me, as long as I fulfill what is good for our friendship, he doesn’t want anything else.

“All my life I had been looking for something and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself”

To me, he answered all my questions and my alacrity to know more about my life and life around me in general.

True to Samuel Johnson words, almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess, and to gain applause which he cannot keep. I was no different and I guess I am still no different.

I don't want to do things, which would attenuate my confidence at the end of it, Even though it means sacrificing temporary pleasures.

My friend is so shy that he never opens up to others except me. I was slowly becoming the representative of his thoughts. Slowly I was embellishing his every thought and it was visible to my friends circle. I could see a change in me and my friends whom I am with since childhood also felt the change.

I remember Shirley MacLaine quoting –

I think of life itself now as a wonderful play that I've written for myself, and so my purpose is to have the utmost fun playing my part.

To be honest my friend had a great role in scripting a play for my life and the greatest quality I think I had was to trust him and I just did what he said. Sometimes I am so stupid that I don’t even think as to what is the impact it’s having on others. But I never felt acerbic while doing things in my life. However bitter moments do arise, but it’s the way you get out of it and still retain our friendship.

One thing is sure and certain; he is never going to make compromises hence he can be inimical critic. But a friend nevertheless.

One of the things I did was to express myself which was the only way of me introducing my friend to others.

Now, I never feel bad of showing my feelings, my pristine feelings or I don’t apologize for having showed also. Somewhere I feel when I apologize for my burst of pristine feelings, I apologize for the truth which is as good as losing my friend.

But I do apologize to people who are not close to me, since it’s bad on my part to expect them knowing me and accepting my behaviour.

To me, no one is greater than this friend because he never lets me separate from good friends and people that I have. All he does in a while, shows me who really are my pals and who aren’t.

If my creator wanted me to be otherwise than me, he would have created me otherwise.

And to end it all, Fanny Brice repeatedly kept telling-

“Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you?”

Rocky's stronger, he definitely is!!!

How does it feel, when you are thrown out when you least wanted to??

I needed to figure it out as to what to be done next…

It s a lonely walk for a guy like me. I know my strengths and also my weakness. At least I am in the process of knowing more about it.

There will be people along the way helping you out, but you wouldn’t be taking help unless convinced, Convinced within ourselves.

Somewhere when I was walking, I did realize one of the most important lessons of my life, if I needed to be successful in what I want to do in life.

I didn’t or still don’t know a sure fire formula for success, but I got to know a sure fire formula for failure; trying to please everybody all the time.

The day I was convinced to learn this lesson, I felt a much happier person than what I was. It is not my fault for things which are not under my control and all I can do is hope for the best. That’s all.

People always call it luck when things go our way, rather than looking at things which were done, in a more sensible way than others.

Well, luck, it must be there, only when intent is there….

I do things wherein I keep asking myself: “Why do I want to do this? Is it just ego, is it going to be embarrassing?”

But like my idols say or my conscious ‘That’s what I am’. I have to be myself and be willing to stand in front of people and do what I believe in, because I am going to regret it if I didn’t.

Not doing what I want to do is worse than doing it, even if it is difficult and painful.

But the question of skills and talent comes into picture. Do we have it in us to do what we want to??

But we need to understand the message which is universal: What we lose in one part of our life, we can sometimes gain in another.

So what we lose in SKILL, we can make up for in WILL.

All we need is sheer determination.

I always get the feeling….

I can’t do it.

I can’t achieve what I want.

And then I keep telling this to myself…

I have worked hard and I am still working hard to achieve what I always dreamt of.

Yeah I been out there walkin’ around, thinkin’. I mean, who am I kiddin’? I am not even in the league of successful people.

I do get inspired and this is something I always wanted to hear when I was down and morose.

This is the inspiration….

“Yeah, that doesn’t matter. Cause I was nobody before. But my mind is not ready to accept the fact that I am nobody….”

But it is true…. I realized it…

I was thinking, it really doesn’t matter if I lose this fight in my life.

It really doesn’t matter if anything happens to me, because all I want to do is go the distance on the path I have chosen.

Very few have traveled or say gone the distance and have been successful. And if I can go that distance and you see if I am still standing at the end of it…. All I would say is

I’m gonna know for the first time in my life, see, I wasn’t just another bum from the neighborhood.

So what are my chances of succeeding??

Look, Einstein flunked out of school, twice.

Beethoven was deaf and Helen Keller was blind.

I think, I have got a good chance. At least I can give it a shot, my best shot.

Well, I guess this was in me, but I never discovered until I bumped into a character called

Rocky Balboa, my idol who’s gonna be there inspiring me whenever I need motivation the most.

As a child, I was fascinated by the boxing aspect of the movie…. Later in my life, I did realize the manner in which we both went about things in a very similar way, in the movie though.

As I watched the movie “Rocky” more and more, I just discovered a lot of things which inspired me to achieve what I wanted.

Anyone who has anger in them in one way or another or any regrets in their lives, like I certainly did, will empathize with the character.

It just gave me an inspiration to get myself out of these stuffy feelings of regret and sadness.

Rocky’s definitely gonna be stronger. At least with me though!!! And I hope it does help others as well.

Well, a must see, according to me.

Rocky(1976)

Life is beautiful!!!But What is beautiful???

Life is beautiful, but what is beautiful???

Is it, delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration?

Or many words like, aesthetic, attractive, better-looking, bonny, exquisite, fair, fine, gorgeous, graceful, handsome, lovely, pretty, picturesque, pleasant, pleasing, ravishing, resplendent, scenic, sightly, splendid, stunning, pulchritudinous … ok I am running short of words…

In any case, for things or people to appear beautiful, all of us use one of these words for our definition of the word beautiful.

In any case, beautiful things are meant to be relative, if not, there would be a certain degree of monotony in everyone’s life.

Its good to be different most of the times and sometimes it can be little boring.

And fair enough, the other way around.

Again it’s the difference in opinions which comes and generally creates contradictory feelings among everyone.

What I see, what I feel, appeals me or it need not appeal me, I call it beautiful or say not so beautiful, it is entirely my choice.

I don’t have to wait for people to compliment my thoughts to appreciate things which are beautiful to me.

Although it’s great to share similar feelings, but sometimes I don’t mind being a stranger in a No Man’s Land.

It doesn’t matter.

What I like, I like….. it

What people like, they like…. it

There will be similarities without which it is little tough to connect with people.

There are people whom I have met who like things because others like it too, there are people who like it simply because others don’t like it and there are people who like things because they like it……

I have seen things in my life which are beautiful and not so beautiful….

Well, it doesn’t matter, because not so beautiful things can appeal to some, at least one person in this world would enjoy that.

It’s a harsh statement but not far from reality.

So far, with my experience of existence on this earth, there would be lot of things that appealed me and continues to appeal me.

So it’s quite natural to express things which appeal to me….

Its lot different when I ask my friends, they have some things in common but there is a degree of propensity for their choices.

So this leaves us in a quite eccentric world…..

I like to aver to things which are “for my eyes only”…. Although it will be interesting to see from other “golden eyes”, but I better stick to myself and enjoy what I see and how I feel about things I see….. I do appreciate, if things look beautiful from other’s point of view.

Now for me Life is beautiful, and for the rest, let them think as to what is beautiful???

Run... Forrest... Run...

Run, Forrest Run….is the best line for me in the movie…. “Forrest Gump”.

According to me, this line starts the story and since then it tells the journey of a guy, who just did, what he felt like doing whole-heartedly….

This movie, opened up many such things inside me, the incidents that took place in the Movie are very versatile in it self. He keeps doing one thing or the other.

One of the qualities inside me, I got to realize, after watching this movie repeatedly.

The first time, I felt it was realistic because of the fact, money didn’t matter to do things the way you want. You need to back yourself and believe in one’s abilities.

Success may be in the form of peace or in the form of people’s trust, but it has always come to the people, who have followed their conscious truthfully.

I used to wonder seriously three years back, “Why people are so different??”

I have seen my friends wondering about this.

It was distracting when people tend to react differently from what one expected. In hindsight it was true from the other side as well. There is no end to this.

I thought all things must have an end. Well, exits will be there for those which have clear pathways, this behavior of me and the people are circular. It keeps going endlessly.

I got an answer.

• People who tend to criticize always.
• People who criticize partially,
• People who don’t criticize at all,
• People who bother about criticism,
• People who don’t bother always and
• People who just don’t bother about criticism.

Now this is being democratic, as long as I didn’t understand this fact, I had no rights to be a part of Indian democracy or for that matter, support for democracy.

Understanding the word ‘Democracy’ helped me gain a lot of knowledge in the way I went about reacting to people in different situations.

Now, I don’t feel bad in what I do in my personal life. Professionally we are supposed to adhere to certain disciplines but not at the cost of one’s pristine conscious.

Opinion differs and I am just giving my opinion here.

The day, I started loving myself, did things I always loved to do, Life started looking different for me. I realized all things in life must come to an end, because we aren’t immortal.

But memories aren’t. Hence I am writing this.

For me, when I set out to be myself, I was afraid of losing people I love the most. It did inhibit me for a while, later I backed myself by telling….

“The greatest tribute or respect I can give to my loved ones and my close friends and to this world is by being myself and doing things my conscious told me to do and to do it whole-heartedly. If they are my loved ones and close friends they would respect my point of view”.

I may not able to rule the world, but I can rule myself. I may not be able to push others, but I can push myself.

More importantly, I cannot be sweet and nice to everyone; I can be sweet and nice to myself. I am sure of the fact, if I am nice to myself, I can never hurt anyone, and it’s unfortunate if people didn’t understand this.

Probably they never will and that shouldn’t stop from me being myself. And I am not afraid of being myself and for my actions as long as my conscious is right.

Coming back, the movie gave me the realization that I am eccentric and I was quite comfortable with it. I believe everyone is!!!

I started running the lap of my life for the first time and trust me, except for few miles, I really enjoyed and I am still enjoying and will continue to.

People expect me to behave in a certain way irrespective of what I feel, including closed ones. I used to feel little disturbed when I didn’t get to speak to the person I wanted to at that particular moment. “Rajan, I am busy, I hope you understand”. That was enough, I appreciate it.

But some of my other friends weren’t clear as to what to say, but they expected me to understand them. No problems again.

People start avoiding because they can’t tell clearly that, they don’t want to talk to me, because they wanted to create a feeling within them, that’s gonna make me sweet and hurt me if they were frank. Strictly, it would be always; from their Eyes Only.

And others who wanted to talk but just cannot express or couldn’t express.

But most of them expect me to understand them. Many would deny, but truth is truth.

It was tough because I felt sometimes they were using me. After a long thought, I realized, hey, that’s me. Why feel bad for people using me, after all, if I am helpful for others then why should I worry even though I wont be having any personal gain, but satisfaction is, I am gonna be myself and that’s a gain for the little pain I went through.

But, being a novice mentally in this regard, sometimes I do call, but they still expect me to understand them and wait for them to call and I am supposed to receive it, when they are free.

Now, I accept calls from anyone at any situation. I shall never question them or remind them of their antics previously. I believe if I like talking to my closed ones and to anyone, I will talk and accept them anytime in any situation. I shall give them their space.

“Past is history, you learn from it, you can’t live in it”.

Now, I don’t worry that much about it. I have lot of things to do in my life but I am always available to people when they need me.

This is something I was, but I saw it in Gump, Forrest Gump…. I have the strength and patience to understand my closed ones and I do take hard measures to understand them because I love them and I respect them for the way they are.

I love and communicate even though I don’t get a feedback…. Because I love it...

Also, I always thought, I was a good wicket keeper and a good soccer goal keeper…. I follow the rule of being a keeper.

My job is expected to catch, no matter how tough a catch is or how tough a save is, ultimately I don’t get the reward for the catch, because I am expected to catch or save day in day out.

What if I dropped or gave a goal away, I get to hear, “You didn’t live up to our expectations, a bad keeper or a bad goalie”.

So I believe in doing my job whole heartedly just like a wicket keeper or a goal keeper in real life. I am expected to catch everything, but can’t drop any….. That’s ok, as I long as I am a wicket keeper or a goal keeper in real life and ready to do it whole heartedly.

To tell you, I am indeed....

Dedication to one of my favorite movie idol, who played an important role in answering questions of mine, when others didn’t or couldn’t.

To end it: "Do watch this movie"

His name is "Gump, Forrest Gump"

A man and his legacy left behind

Came 2006, i was rejuvenated so was Michael. Both were raring to go. Although, i had very less to lose, but it was a challenge in itself.

To be fair, it was easy for me in the sense, i was not depending much on people. Well, Michael had his team, he had to motivate his team along with him. That was the challenge for him.

It started off not so good, I didn't qualify at the IIT-M fest (Saarang) in Sports and Ent Quiz.
I was confident of putting up a good show along with my pal.
Well, i was disappointed but the trip was good fun for me. I just witnessed, the best among the quizzers in India. Best part was, i had my pal Anu, who was part of that league and sitting pretty high.

For me, it was a setback personally. In hindsight it was good. I prepared hard and was ready with my Sports quiz. Well, it was a test for me and i was ready for it. In fact confident.
It was satisfying at the end of 4 years, i got my reward, The Sports quiz was appreciated.

Michael had not so great races initially and he was trailing. He came back to his best at Imola and the highlight was the way he tailored the brakes of Alonso behind him. It was Pay Back time. Exactly opposite happened in 2005.

Somewhere mid-way through the season, Michael lost ground and was 34 points behind Alonso.
Now, what to do??? This cant happen twice in a row, I thought, being a die-hard fan.

Just when everyone in the world, including me gave up on him winning the championship, one person rose. He was the LAST ACTION HERO. He was ready for the action. Race after race he grew stronger and stronger and with two races to go, he was equal with Alonso in points.

The best part was, i stopped having expectations on him winning races and hence i could enjoy his victories even more and also the disappointing Japanese Grand Prix later in the year.

Sadly he, announced his retirement at the end of 2006 season after winning an emotional Italian GP at Monza.

Final two races of his career turned out to be anti-climax,
At the end of it all, he lost the championship due to mechanical failures in successive races. Talk about destiny, his last engine failure was on a dull Sunday of July 2000 at the French Grand Prix.

I did not worry about what happened. But it was little sad, probably, this is how life goes.

Michael, the way he took those twin blows is worth praising. He had absolutely no complaints about his car, he simply stressed to the media, when asked to comment about the car, " the same car gave me 5 championships in a row, why complain??", he replied.

There are good moments and there are not so good moments. One needs to accept it as fast as possible and move on. It was a sport after all.

And in general, life is short after all.

To me, the above incident gave me and everyone an insight about a man, who lived his dreams. He was happy to end his career on a losing team but a fighting team.

He won and certainly he did conquer everyone by his racing at the Brazilian GP and his last over taking maneuvere on Kimi, was the perfect way of showing his supplant that, he's still the King when it comes to dominating on the track. His aura was something which we call "The Michael Magic".

He did quit on the track, which produced many great drivers none better than Aryton Senna, who would have been proud to have seen Michael, the way he raced on that day(22-10-06).
His final day as a driver in Formula1.

If at all, one thing which needs to highlighted is the spirit of hope. The hope which ignited many Italians and Michael's fans worldwide.
For all the people, who were struggling to come to terms in life, he lighted the candle of hope. From no where, he reached to a position of becoming a champion again. He didn't eventually, but better than the way he lost in 2005.

It gave me an opportunity to acknowledge whatever i had and it made me realize a lot of things. One of them is to concentrate on giving my best not only when things are going well, but to be in the same spirit when things were to be the opposite.

Problems are with everyone, the way one deals with it, separates pros from the rest.

It was fabulous me having my own journey parallely with Michael.

His ruthlessness and his one lap runs were a treat to watch. At the same time he managed to have control over himself. Awesome!!!

I always dreamt of being a Schumacher, being ruthless in the things i love, and to be the best with the things i loved doing. Well, all i can say, i did get an opportunity. Or at least i think it was....

If conducting UTPT Sports quiz-06 was like taking a pole position much to my delight...... Here comes .........
"Winning on 22nd April at BMS with my great friend Anu alongside me, felt like winning a Grand Prix just the way Michael did or would have loved to do".

It was a team effort, with Anu constantly encouraging me, but .... With me being ruthless as ever, on that day, all i did was , paid a tribute to my idol who wouldn't be around the way he was all these years.

With me passing out of college and moving into my next phase, it was great and my previlage to have seen and more importantly learnt from a person who did most things right.

Like all people, even he committed mistakes. But he corrected them and became a better person.

Like Sir Don Bradman, people will remember Michael the way he ended his career.
I guess, it happens to the ultimate inspirational guides. Sachin not winning the World Cup, Pete Sampras not winning the French Open and many more people like this leaving a void in their illustrious career.

I am in tears, writing this, because words cannot explain the impact he had on me.
Well, i am little emotional, hey, this is how i am. My strength mostly, and weakness, very little by being emotional, in the way i do things which i love.

"A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them
into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals"

Thanks to this winner, I can enjoy my journey of life, a beautiful life indeed.

People asked- "What's Michael gotta give"- This would be it, at least for me.

What's Michael Gotta give??

If there was anything in 2005 to Michael Schumacher, it was seeing his rivals go past him and disappear into the distance. To be frank, he gave his best, but his machine wasn't up to the mark and ultimately it made him look like a miser in spite of his royal stature as a world champion.

Following my idol since many years, i was not ready to accept this sudden change in fortunes but like all legends, he just took it by his stride. It was his worst year or to say was going to be his worst in his illustrious career. One can't rest on past laurels. One needs to strive hard to maintain. Its easy to lose, like we saw in 2005 season. It was not that he fell for the occasion, his opponents rose to the occasion.

It was for me, this time around i did lose my focus because of some goof up in my academics. I was confident though, but sometimes, results mattered more than confidence. You don't win just by having confidence. Having confidence is like a consolation to the people who didn't quite make it.
I managed to clear, thanks to my self-belief, but my idol couldn't. He was helpless.
One thing, i learnt from this guy was, He didn't complain when things were going wrong for him, instead he was keen on improving himself and hoping things could turn this way. Unfortunately, it didn't.
To be frank, his attitude helped me a great deal. I was just being quiet, not reacting to what happened, instead concentrated on what i had, trust me, this was the beginning for me.

I just went about my business and i started enjoying this new phase of my life. I started accepting things which came my way without doubting some of the decisions. If i wasn't clear, i made sure i got answers to it.

I had failed, and first thing i did was to accept this fact. I didn't lie to myself, it was tough comforting myself initially. I turned to this guy and i was convinced to go his way.
He had failed as well and he was the first person to acknowledge this fact.

Towards the end of the season, it didn't change for my champion. But things changed, for the better and it was for me not for him.

The attitude with which he took this disappointment was something which i wanted to imbibe.
He knew he was the champion, just because he failed, it didn't tarnish his self-confidence.
He had enough time to recollect his past deeds and be contend with what he had.
At the same time, if given an opportunity, he would be the first to seize it.

My life changed or to say started to evolve in a different way than previous to it.
I didn't know whether it was right way or not, but i was enjoying this process of evolution within me.

The year ended, with a hope to win his 8th title and for me, i was just hoping, i shall continue enjoying this new found path.

2006 looked promising, i , like Michael, believed in going out there and do my best.

It was a forgotten story to most of them, but for me, it was it was the first stop.
First Pit-stop to put it in a better way on my road to success.