Teamwork

I came across a great, interesting and enlightening article by Sir Vivian Richards (The King of Oneday Cricket' according to an impact on cricket measurement website) in 'The Week' magazine (the World Cup 2011 Indian edition where 12 previous and current experts where I caught the essence of teamwork. A game like Cricket or Football has an extra interesting item over a game like Tennis or Chess in the form of team work. I used to like this way back in childhood without having any understanding that even such a thing exists. While single player games itself involve multiple co-ordination, multi player games just take it to the heights.

Anyway, he was mentioning about his experience in the 1979 World Cup when West Indies won the tournament (As I write this, WI has just got out of this year's WC). There he was telling how he was batting with Collis King and how as he was going really well, Richards simply rotated the strike, thereby complementing him, instead of trying to outcompete him. And once Collis King got out, Richards went for his big shots and the innings ended in him hitting a last ball 6 from an impossible to play inswinging yorker.

This sort of play even became a model soon later when cricket teams used to incorporate a steady player and a striking player (like Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Shrikkanth). But soon this model deteriorated because players really didn't understand the reason behind it. They just thought that one slow paced player and one fast-paced player will be good in any situation when instead both might be playing defensive or both attacking in their respective styles.

So basically, I sort of understood that team work doesn't mean either at any time not doing anything or doing everything but instead playing a complimentary role (2 player) some time or supplementary role (multi-player) most of the time AND taking the initiative at the call of the hour. In this way, both the responsibilities and joy gets shared equally and there is resonance or flow or sync or whatever one associates team work with.

Thanks, Sir Vivian Richards.

No attachments please...

Sometime back, and even now, there is or was support for me in terms of sponsorship or cover, whichever way one puts it. Some given without expectations of anything in return and some with expectations. There is nothing morally wrong in either except that expectations from attachments all someday fizzle out, as was the case. I sincerely do not expect anything from anyone and it is my request that you desist from going out of the way for our good. I do whatever is my responsibility towards the society and I hope you have the same view.

To the Japanese people...

I once came upon a great piece of Zen wisdom which was in a book called 'Manase, Relax Please' by Swami Sukhbhogananda. It helped me very much and I think it is very relevant to the Japanese people today when they are facing a natural disaster that may aggravate further. I remember posting this story somewhere before itself.

A village was facing a severe drought and the villagers didn't know what to do. There passed upon a traveling monk and the people told him the situation and asked for any suggestion. The monk asked for a spot in the village to meditate and started meditating. Soon, the clouds formed and rain started pouring. The villagers became happy and asked him how he could do it. The Zen monk replied that as he sat there, he made himself calm and since there is a definite interaction between him and his environment, the atmosphere which had till now been unruly and unpredictable, became calm as well and the rain that was to pour on time poured.

Today, Japan needs people to be calm, collected and rooted in themselves.

The Japanese are a great and generous people who have helped many countries with their wisdom, management techniques, financial aid etc. and the world has to do everything in it's capacity to get them back on their feet. I'm sure they will recover fast.

When nature seems cruel, please remember...

1. Grace is available (for free), all around us, even though it might not be obvious.
2. Grace cannot help someone unless one asks for it (or allows it).
3. It is a joy and responsibility for someone to access (or have) Grace because this will let him or her to extend it to those around as well.

These three are true and useful by themselves separately but when they are understood together, they will bring about a faster, complete and lasting healing.

My dear Muslim bros...

Knowingly or unknowingly, wittingly or unwittingly, intentionally or unintentionally, I have done you a favour. I do not ask for anything in return except to read this post with care. You don't need to do anything good for me, bad...I leave it to your discretion. But I would like you to be nice to my GF. Just like me, my GF is also a true Muslim and so please forgive any trespasses as you would like a good Muslim. My GF always remembers a favour. May Allah be praised.

I repeat it

I'm not aligned with any and neither do I expect any preferential treatment from any. I know that by being like this I make a lot of friends and enemies. And I know that there are those within my own circle who is going to find this inconvenient and will be against me. And frankly it doesn't bother me.

Go back to the source. Not to a hole

I know the value of money. And what can be called the limits of human decency. That is why I turned down a job offer some days back. I was well aware that this is going to make my life pretty difficult, which has already gone overboard.

I never understood the sweat of my father when he paid for my college fees. So I didn't study well. Today, I know the value of a single rupee and that is why I even went on to donate a few thousand rupees to change a single life without telling my mom. And I didn't want some politician today who claims to be a hero or captain going further down in morals. The same one is today in bed with the one, antagonistic just a little bit earlier.

Thanks, but no thanks.