My visit to the sports complex

Magical moments come our way mysteriously, teach us something in life. Once a visit to sports complex of my college changed my thoughts and opened doors to new beliefs. My visit to sports complex in college had taught me not just a game of table tennis, but more than what I would have missed out without playing that game. In my college, table tennis was treated like fun sport or only available sport otherwise.  Witnessing a few folks on first day, who were pouring out their skill on every shot, I was startled and envied every bit of talent they displayed. I was fascinated by the accuracy in their shots and deeply fell in love with the game format. Finally, I gripped the bat for the first time, with weak arms and untrained mind. Quiet obviously my foul shots at the beginning didn’t surprise me much, since I was well aware of my lack of skill in the game and didn’t give much attention to it afterwards. Of more such I failed countless shots, where one or two of my good shots occurred were either by chance or by only pure luck, but never through my participation or whatever substance required for a skillful game. Then I thought next coming days I would be picking up slowly with my game style and learn it smoothly soon. Second day however was a replay of first day, in fact, next days after were all same although I was looking for a bit of improvement, progress never appeared even as meager amount. Soon, I understood the difficulties in the game and also my novice level was hard on to stand with sensible players I tried playing with. Very next few days I gave up on thinking about my game style, instead, thinking of improvement in game sounded like a goose chasing idea after a reasonable amount of frustration. But playing gave me full fun and joy.  

My level of skill didn’t matter to me much since I was no ambitious to become a veteran player, nor was I planning then to participate in world class competition. Yet I played on for just pure fun and amusement, and paid a regular visit to the sports complex as though it was one of my customs. Days went by; I was stuck to playing for days long or weeks far. Often, I appeared more in sports complex than in my academic classes. In fact, that’s how 2^nd year of my college has been consumed up, with full fun and joy. It had been almost a year now since after that I felt my hands being a bit trained. I had almost learned of how not to make mistakes and wrong hand movements. A slight hint of realization occurred to me, that I actually didn’t feel the way I did on my first day. I was playing rather a different game after a year and half period. This time it wasn’t the sport I found amusing, but seeing me change! That change in my game style. That change in my approach towards the same game I had thought I never would make progress.

But that was a fallacy. I was a bit surprised to see myself playing rather many good shots, so did my friends, who witnessed me playing once in a while. There was a hint of perfection I was seeking everyday by playing a day further and further, which had been oblivious from the day one however. Coming to present, today I account myself as a decent player if it doesn’t sound much too conceited. Nonetheless, whether people account me as a good player or not, that difficulty I felt on first day is still fresh in my mind. Considering that day, I involuntarily made a good deal of progress as the days passed by. I crossed the bar of difficulty I felt first day. Finally I made progress. This created a new belief. Now you might wonder what miracle had happened so far. What point did I make to make an article worth reading? You might as well find me silly and trying to make a big deal out of such an ordinary occasion. To be honest I was only trying to introduce who my opponent was all this along in my journey. Perhaps you would have wondered who I had been accompanied with for so long while playing. Which person would have teamed up with me for a near 2 years long period almost regularly? There in fact, lies just one person behind this entire occurrence, one person who stood along with me, one person I had been watching change. Yes, it is me! I had no strong opponent but myself, who taught me how to play. It’s that opponent inside of me who I always tried to out win. That’s how the change has occurred and persisted. Up till, neither was I talking about my progress in table tennis nor was I talking about my personal experience. Glory in watching oneself changing is rather inexplicable and blessing. It gives an overwhelming ecstasy, but at the cost of regular battle with that opponent. In schools, we were taught about legendary figures, but little had we taught how to become one.  We were taught the most complicated courses, but little had we taught of how to learn the courses. But we involuntarily start being regular with them out of fear, out of respect, out of joy or out of intense ambition, whatever the feeling that takes us along. We learn them in the end. Finally emotions are our best teachers. They teach us regularity. Regularity creates the change. Change creates new beliefs in oneself. New beliefs are self assuring emotions that help us to achieve new things we dreamt of. So, watch out your emotions, they sure have something in there to teach you! Perhaps something dream fulfilling; Don’t ever ignore them! They have power to create a miraculous destiny!