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"Dont be afraid to be weak
Dont be too proud to be strong
Just look into your heart my friend
That will be the return to yourself
The return to innocence
If you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself dont hide
Just believe in destiny
Dont care what people say
Just follow your own way
Dont give up and use the chance
To return to innocence
Thats not the beginning of the end
Thats the return to yourself
The return to innocence" - Enigma
A few days ago i read this article about a SouthAfrican athlete called 'Radebe Samkelo'. Samkelo is one of the many athletes representing his country in the IWAS Games(Paralympic) at the Kanteerava Stadium here in Bangalore. He finished seventh in the high jump event. Incidentally, Samkelo had lost his limbs due to an electric shock at the age of eight.
That morning when i sat with tea in my hand reading the paper, this statement by Samkelo struck me when he said "Life is not that bad to sit and repent'. He's a law student from the University of Johannesburg and his routine includes going to the gym in the morning, then to class and for the running sessions. Over the weekends, he does his assignments. And he says "I did things by trial and error, learnt all things by myself. I cook, I clean and I drive. I even have a license and drive a manual-geared car, his dad's Toyota Corolla, and an Opel Astra."
When i read this piece i thought about one of Lance Armstrong's quotes in his autobiography where he says "a life spent defensively and worried is a life wasted". The only difference between Lance Armstrong and Radebe Samkelo was probably the number of championship wins under them. But they'd already won the hardest battle an individual can encounter. The battle between the ears. For their attitude and outlook towards life was nonpareil.
It was a first time for me as I watched these athletes, some without limbs, some with amputations and they practiced and played like there was no tomorrow. They sat on the wheel chair playing archery, table tennis and swirled around in their wheel chairs playing indoor rugby. Infact, i watched one of the Japanese track and field athlete with artificial limb in awe as he walked on the track upside down as if it was the easiest thing to do. The first thing that stuck me was the positive vibe on their faces, competing hard and had a smile throughout as if nothing had ever happened to them in life. They seemed unfazed, posing for photographs, mixing along with the other athletes and seemed to be enjoying every moment that was on offer. Motivation or cheering from the crowds was a lot to ask for as the sparse crowd inside couldn't offer much. They didn't seem to care if there was one to support them.
As i entered the stadium to have a glimpse of these athletes i wasn't surprised at the shoddiness of our authorities as the banner inside the stadium read "Welcome to the Participents..". So much for an international event. The Paralympic committee of India totally oblivious and an act of sheer disgrace.
Inside, I met a guy called Diwaker who worked as a corporate trainer and a freelancer. He was about to write a book based on true inspirational stories. I requested Diwaker to take me along when he did some interviews with the athletes when we bumped into the Brazilian archery duo 'Andrey Muniz De Castro' and 'Francisco Dantas Das Chagas'.
Andrey Muniz had lost his limbs in a car accident 14 years ago while Francisco lost his leg in a construction company where he worked as a material construction engineer. Both Muniz and Francisco were the Brazilian champions for the second consecutive year and stood 10th and 20th in the overall category respectively. While Muniz went into depression it wasn't for long before he came back on track when he realised the other patients in the hospital to which he was admitted faced worse and tougher challenges than he did. He said it was as if 'nothing had happened to him" when he watched the plight of a few others in disarray who lay alongside him in the hospital bed. On the other hand, it was disparity that bothered Francisco when he faced bouts of depression for two years, losing all his savings, lacking respect from people who didn't quite see him in the same wavelength after the tragic incident.In order to get back to life they took to sports as an hobby.
While Muniz took to sport as an hobby, he felt it gave him a platform to realize and unleash the potential within. A soccer player earlier, Fancisco's inspiration would come in the form of a certain 'Clodoaldo Silva'. Apparently, Clodoaldo Silva is the greatest Brazilian Paralympic swimmer. Silva competed at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, where he set four world records, five Paralympic records, and won six gold medals and one silver. He was awarded the Best Male Athlete award by the International Paralympic Committee. As the old adage goes, the rest is history. And today both Muniz's and Francisco's faces beamed with joy as they stood on the podium, proudly holding their national flag, posing for pictures with medals around their neck.
In response to my question about overcoming self-doubt, they owed it all to the sport in general, which gave them an opportunity to get their minds off, be optimistic to lead a normal competitive life and inturn offered challenges. Their next aim is to win more medals at the 2012 London Olympics and moreso at the 2016 Paralympics in Brazil.
As i spoke to them, one thing was clear. That no matter what you just have to move on in life despite the consequences and as Radebe Samkelo says there's "No time to feel sorry for oneself". It was time well spent as I acknowledged them and realised that life is indeed not that bad to sit and repent.
Links:
Radebe Samkelo
Fire Children
