~ Football & the Virtues of Life...~

 As the Soccer world cup begins today at Qatar, I reminisce the game I used to cherish and play for insane long hours, never to be told when to come back at home. The neighborhood park is a mute testimony to what time I have lived and cherished whilst I was a striker of my team.

Football for me  and for that matter for all of us is just not a game to be played for fun, It is a way of life and formulates our character to what we really are in real world…it has much hidden life skills that it so subtly teaches if one has an open eye. The game can be personified as a life skill if one decides so.

It is brimming with key leadership lessons to name a few, leadership, selflessness, planning and execution and most importantly accepting the outcome, be whatever it may be when the game is over. All these virtues are much needed in living a decent and sane life today. 

The game is a strong interlude of maneuvering passes and strict discipline. It makes an individual a strong and forward-looking thinker with an ability to think beyond the rational. It bestows on you a sense of ownership and teamwork, cascades along many boundaries to show your true character as a leader and a playmate. As a planner and a perfect executioner of moves, your leadership character is what is put to test whilst the game is on. Your leading by example is what your fellow teammates are looking upon you – I once remember the game in which we were being pushed and mellowed by the opposite team as they were playing rough but our leader took upon himself to judge the track of the game and changed the strategy to play short passes and make quick moves for them to not entangle with our key visible front enders – the result, they were exhausted running to trap the ball and injure the key players as all were getting the ball in equal intervals!!! – the outcome was inevitable….

Sacrifice is another great virtue which this fantastic game teaches … there may be occasions when your selfish interest will make you take control of the ball and you in all probability will try to steer around to score a brownie goal for audience to cheer the newfound Ronaldo in you  - having done so , you may score or you might not but a good player would always ‘Sacrifice’ your chance to score if you realize that your fellow being is in a better position to hit the ball to the nets… that quick decision of yours will cascade your character and that is what the game does to you…

No doubt the game is full of enthralling moments and it tests your patience and your strength, there may be moments when your body is in no mood to run that extra inch but the lure of getting so close to the nets and scoring a winning goal is what keeps you going - It is so much similar to life, at times when you plan to quit or are hellbent to not go that extra mile as you are not sure of the result, a tinge of thought that may be I should try for that last time as I did in that match winning game...who knows I might succeed this time....

I have realized that I am in awe with this game and it is the on top of my list of to-do things when I will next spot the street urchins playing at their usual self in the park. After all, age has nothing to do with your love of life – I love football and would continue too do so till eternity! The best part of playing this game is when people ask, “at this age, how you maintain your sprint, focus and quick thinking on the field?” My quirky answer is “The football does not know how old I am. All you need to do is to stop yourself to stopping yourself to play the game.” – I thank football not only as a game but shaping myself into a person which I have become today!