The Bicycle Analogy

With the last two months of college lined up, a conflict of emotions emerges within me and my friends. Excitement for the future ahead and what it holds for us verses the fear of letting go what has been our home for the past four years.
Pulling each others' leg, the long talks in canteen, the boring lectures, and the list goes on and on. So many things you want to remember, the ones you don’t, you hope will pass over time. However these few years have turned out to be, one thing is for sure. These days will be remembered. Clearly etched in our memory will be every laugh, every fight, every moment spent here. Reminiscing heightens all these emotions, as we look back at this place feeling safe. And so the memory lane narrows down on you, making you believe that the idea of facing the world all alone, though churns your stomach, is not safe at all.
Excitement for the future, however, makes this notion interesting. The fear translates onto a better side, like riding a bicycle for the first time. Though it doesn’t seem safe, the urge to get on that bike and try something new is fascinating. So get on that bike, and once you ride it, you will love the wind rushing through your hair, even though you might look back at walking with awe.

Master Class

There were no running laps around the field, no aggressive gestures, nothing over-the-top. He did what he always does, raised both his arms, closed his eyes for a moment and quietly acknowledged that it had been done. The way Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar celebrated when he reached his 200 epitomized the man's persona.
It took 20 years for the little master to break a record that stood strong for nearly 40 years. However, it’s just not the numbers game that is worth acknowledging. His attitude, endurance and respect for the game are much more significant. It’s not just now that his love for the game is visible. Previous instances have had us witness the greatness of this man. No one can forget Sachin receiving the Man of the Match award with tears in his eyes, because India lost that match. Even at the top, he understands that the game is bigger than him and not the other way around.
Most of the sportsmen provide us with entertainment. This man has provided us with much more in the name of cricket – Emotion.

Fade to Black

January, 2009 is clearly etched in my memory as my college witnessed the death of two students. While ones’ heart gave out to the pressure of failure, another committed suicide for reasons unknown. More than a year later, a similar incident resurfaced my feelings on the matter. Before I put forth my views, let me narrate the incident.
Recently, life support was taken off a student, from our college, who had been declared brain dead, as a result of drug overdose. When medicines didn’t provide remedy for his regular viral infections, drugs (suggested by his friends) seemed to do the trick. Neither of the neighbor students, nor the warden or college authorities, nor his parents paid attention to his condition. And after all was said and done, it just became a hot gossip topic for everyone in and out of college. Everyone speculated as to what the reasons were, but the reason was quite clear - Ignorance.
In India, student deaths expire with newspaper headlines, and this is a matter of concern. Here, the youth are considered to be the future of the country. So what happens when the youth are consumed away by suicides, drugs and failures? The bright future fades to black. I believe that this is not the end of such incidents, and I hope that I am proved wrong.