Two Greatest Men

Two Greatest Men

I am very proud of myself, proud not because of something that I have achieved or for something I have done. I am proud because I was born in a particular time and the things that co-incidentally happened during that time. I am proud because I lived my dream though others who lived their dreams in their lives.

I am proud because my dreams were realized by witnessing the two great geniuses who are revered by everyone. The two masters who shaped a billion people or more. The two masters who set an example. Two people who led their life in a beautiful way.

The two dated to beat ever opponent in majestic, methodical and fervent way, they never gave up. One was the master of his body and the other the master of the mind. As a psychologist one would not be able to evade the question of whether the mind shapes the body or the body shapes the mind. But here are two examples of exemplars of Indian sports, Tendulkar the master of cricket and Anand the master chess.

Well is it true that one is of body and one is of mind, it’s a philosophical question, I am not a Cartesian and I do not consider the body and mind to be separate entities. But I must say that I have been really lucky to be born the same era as them and have witnessed them to have grown from young to old.

In their growing years both were relentless and strong, both were fierce and competitive. Both never gave up and it was just a matter of time that they would set another record to silence the critique. It was fascinating as a child and as an adult to see how each one stared and built a game, how they shaped an inning and how they played it with all grace and glory. They were exemplars of technique and style. They were masters of mind and body.

One aspired to be them. Their games brought them to new heights and new scaled them to different levels, with each game they grew to new fame and new name. They broke ever record and held it long for everyone to know that it was not just chance. At the top of the word they had the highest power.

Given all this, I would say, I not proud for what they did because they just followed their own passion and lived their own game, they followed and lived their own dreams, so the questions looms large why am I proud of some one who lived their life in their way. Well when I think of this question I am actually reminded of the scene in Super man “With great power comes great responsibility”. At the top of their life they had all the power in the world any one could have and achieve. Why I respect these two gentlemen is not for the honors they got us but the way the lived their lives. Not once did any find them show their pride in what they achieved. Not once were they in wrong books for having misbehaved or showing arrogance, not once where they deceitful. What they know was just the game and nothing else. What they showed is how to be graceful in times of defeat, what they also showed is how to bounce back with effort and sincerity.  What they showed is not just some skill and abilities but humbleness and respect to life. What they showed is how one needs to be human in the spotlight of game. What they showed is grace and fineness.  The only place where they battled were on the field with all rules that allowed them to play. They showed respect not disdain for their fellow opponents.  What they will be remembered is not for their game but for what they did with their lives when they had the greatest power. I am just proud of the time I lived.

Every thing has an end and so do the greatest mortals of my era, one’s body not adjusting to the pace of his mind and one’s mind not holding up with the tiring body. But they are true living legnds of my era, and I will quote them not for what they achieved but for how they lived their life being the greatest men in the world.