To Harsha, With Words……….

God can choose what is best for us. One such occurrence was Harsha Bhogle failing to join the men in blue and landing up in the commentary box. No one can ever be sure of how fine a cricketer he would have made but be rest assured that he is one of the best in his craft. If Harsha feels that Peter Roebuck was born to write cricket then surely, Harsha was incarnated to love cricket. It does not matter whether we hear him, read him or just think about him. One thing is for sure, cricket is oxygen for this man.

On one hand Harsha is just one of the billions of Sachin fans and yet he is; one in a billion. The chosen one, who can sit beside Sachin, chat and discuss cricket with the maestro himself. In order to rob him of his innumerable efforts we can term him fortunate. However he is the person, who started as a juggler of words, turned into a connoisseur and is now one of the finest magicians of the language of cricket. He is someone whose criticism for one person may contain inherent praise for another.

Adding years to his life he has simultaneously increased his hair count. Not only does he look younger, he enjoys the thrill of T20 cricket just like a teenager. On the other hand, ask him about test matches and he can talk for hours about Tendulkar, Gavaskar, Laxman, Kumble, Murali, Warne and countless other champions. He is Enthusiastic about Saurabh Tiwari's muscle power and at the same time nostalgic about Ganguly's grace. Pollard's strength is what he loves, yet he equally values Dravid's finesse.

An epitome of love, enthusiasm and acumen for the game is what Harsha Bhogle is. If Sachin Tendulkar was to enter into a commentary box then he would be known as Harsha Bhogle.

Feelings are many, words are few
Whatever I may write Harsha, praise for you is still due……….

Straight from Harsha:

"From Johannesburg to Mumbai its is a long queue of Sachin's fans."

"Two teams look each other in the eye, until one of them blinks"
(Wrote it before the commencement of India Australia test series in India in 2010)

"Gavaskar not only stood for pride, but also hope."

"In the long run skill is important, but attitude is supreme."
(On Kumble teaching the youngsters what attitude is all about)

"There is a butcher at one end and surgeon at the other."
(When Pollard and Duminy were batting for Mumbai Indians in CLT20"

"Always the artist, never the superstar"
(On VVS Laxman)

A WAY TO BE GOOD AGAIN

A few moments in life took my breath away; fewer still gave me reason to breath. How strange is it, that these moments always arrived when I least expected them. I still remember that evening , when the mist was growing heavier and my mind wandered away from my heart and nothing concrete was apparent in the future.

Just then as if like a flash, everything and I mean everything became clear. I had read and heard that courage is one of the most important virtues of human life. However I had always thought that I lacked this one piece of the jigsaw in, the puzzle of life. In hindsight, I was proved right.

One evening in Nashik after returning from the office tired and dilapidated, I went out of my hotel for a stroll. I was short on confidence and zeal. Trying to adjust with the pace of life I realized that time was passing by like a stream of water which wouldn’t stop for anyone. The only way to gel with it was by drowning in it. A slight drizzle and cold breeze were the only ones trying to cheer me up. Walking by the roadside my mind wandered through all the instances of life where I had given up, held back and lost. What disappointed me the most was not the fact that I had lost but the sole feeling that there will never ever be a way to redeem myself. Overwhelmed by defeat, pessimism and hostility; I didn't feet like a loser, but I was sure of being one.

Engulfed in that moment of fear and sadness I saw a couple of pups sitting right in the centre of the road. Just then I realized how beautiful life is. Those pups were full of life, bubbling, playing. I remembered all the pups I had had at my house when I was a kid. Memories now as they were, were everlasting with me. Reality struck me when I realized that a speeding car was heading towards the pups. The car was heading towards them really fast and I realized that the driver was hoping that the pups would get way on their own. I realized that these little creatures are unaware of the danger at hand and so I must help them. I was just about to rush towards them when the coward in me sprang back to life. I stopped short fearing that I could get hurt in the process. Never ever in life had I ever felt so helpless and lost. I realized there is no way in the world that goodness can survive in the face of fear. My life was about to lose its meaning.....

An old man once said “Fate smiles at us all. All we can do is smile back.” I had heard this but someone else had experienced it. A young boy speeding on his motorcycle came from around the corner and stopped his bike in the centre of the road. I still remember the way he held out his hand in order to motion the car driver to stop. And believe it or not, the car did stop. The boy took the pups and put them by the roadside just where they belonged. And then he left. I watched all of this in sheer amazement and awe. Courage is just what I had seen. Courage; which I lacked and the boy had.

This was the moment I realized that all what matters is what you do with the time that is given to you. An instant has the capacity to alter your life’s path. Whenever I am sad, I feel things are getting astray, life is tough and full of hurdles; I just remember the boy who entered my life to show me the way. He demonstrated that life is about making choices and standing by them. Life may be unfair but it is still good. There is something good in this world and its worth fighting for.

So whenever I am sad, down and out I just remember that there is a way to be
good again...........