Sunday 24 May 2015

The web is my home



Buzzy the bee was as proud as he was lazy. He went from flower to flower, insect to insect, bragging about his achievements.

The queen bee and his other friends often warned him about his careless behavior towards his work. But Buzzy did not heed their wise counsel.

One day as he was flying about, he saw a spider. The spider was busy making his web. Buzzy, stopping at a safe distance from the spider.

“Hey Spidy, what are you doing there?” he yelled out to the busy spider.

Spidy carried about with his job, only giving a cursory glance in Buzzy’s direction.

Buzzy yelled again, this time much louder.

“Hey, buddy, what are you doing? I am feeling bored. Can we play together?” he asked.

“I am busy right now. I shall play with you when I am free,” said Spidy.

Buzzy was not happy with the reply.

He went a little closer and saw Spidy spinning his web with a fluid from his own body. “Disgusting! Your house is not made of the best materials around, I observe. Have you ever seen a honey comb and the amazing architecture?” Buzzy boasted.

Spidy did not reply and went about his business.

Buzzy continued to distract Spidy. After a long time Spidy completed his work.He turned around to Buzzy and asked, 

 “Why don’t you test the strength of my house before comparing it to your architecture?”

Buzzy was unaware of the consequences of accepting Spidy’s invitation.

Luckily for Buzzy, his friend, who had been searching for him, pulled him away, just as he was about to step into Spidy’s web.

Buzzy and his friend disappeared, but not before Buzzy witnessed the fate of an unlucky insect that accepted Spidy’s invitation!

Buzzy turned around to his friend and thanked him for saving his life. Thereafter,Buzzy had very little time to boast about himself to strangers.
 
Spirituality is the ability to focus on what you do, unmindful of the negative comments that surround you!

Friday 8 May 2015

They also entertain, who only mop and dry!



While some men rise up to name and fame, some work equally hard, if not harder, but remain on the side lines.

On the second of May 2015, I watched the first ever cricket match from a stadium. I had played on grounds plenty of times, but this was the first ever time that I visited a ground as a spectator!

The contest, an IPL cricket match played between the home side Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders, had to halt before it began, as the clouds decided to play a match, sending down huge droplets of water. For a good hour and half the heavenly match continued while the prayers on earth were for the Gods to stop their game, so that the mortals could begin theirs.

But soon, the spectators urged the rain Gods to continue, as the word about the refund condition spread. Our money would be refunded if and only if not a single ball was bowled.

Perhaps due to a signal delay between heaven and earth, the Gods heard our initial prayers a wee bit too late, allowing time for ten overs to be bowled, halving our money’s worth.

But no sooner had the rains ebbed, an army of men swarmed the ground. The next hour or so was a sheer feast for the eyes.

No. The game had not begun yet.

An army of grounds men, busy as ants...


An army of grounds-men had taken over the job of keeping us entertained from the heavenly Gods. They moved the mopping machines all over the ground like little ants and dried up every inch of the huge ground. They marched from one end to other mopping the ground with machines and ropes hoping to get a nod of approval from the umpires.


Their energy level was infectious!



Their request was turned down thrice and all the three times, they began all over again, undaunted and tireless!

Their energy levels were so infectious that the crowd remained rooted to their seats. The snack sellers did their bit, keeping the spectators’ jaws busy and tummies filled! When the umpires were finally satisfied and allowed the cricket celebrities to enter the ground, cheers filled the air, more for the hard work and entertaining work done by the grounds-men.

Their uncelebrated cerebrum strategized the drying work, so that the celebrated cerebrums could take over and strategize ways and means of winning the game.

The match was played, but the men who were originally meant to keep the crowd entertained finished in the third spot, behind the watery firmament and the energetic grounds men!

We returned home, happy and satisfied, not just because our team had won the match, but also because we got three times our money’s worth!
What a massive job it was to dry the massive ground...
 
Note:
The method they used to mop and dry the ground can be developed into a routine which itself can be developed into a skill. Not only will it become a lucrative profession, but also teach the dignity of labor!

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