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 2nd 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!
