The Gallery Seater

Holy cow! The IPL  is in full swing. What a time when exams are over. No one hovering over or pestering to get back to books .Most of the  bosses having lost an opportunity  to glare and  breathe down necks during the day.

As per schedule the fields are  ready with kings, super kings, elevens, challengers, riders, warriors, chargers , tuskers, devils etc in the  fray  for the coveted championship. Off the field the  gallery/VIP/box/TV viewers are all geared up,  well armed with placards,  face masks, colored wigs to  share the enthusiasm while the batsman  is lunging the ball with force to hit a four or a six, or the bowler, taking wickets  or the fielder  fielding well in his domain. It is nothing unusual of course.  Time  passes with a lot of off field discussions by viewers, cricket lovers and others.

I also don’t  miss a chance to comment or clap a hand. O he missed that shot, how sad he dropped a catch, the bowling was superb, blah, blah it goes on endlessly.

My little daughter in height just looks up and stares at me as she finds it absurd that I am watching a live cricket match. She is ignorant that I love limited over’s match. Well how would she because I never betrayed a trace of emotion for the game these many years. Very natural for her to think I had gone bonkers.

She started watching me from the corner of her eyes as if everything was not okay.

 But I continued being myself. If one is at the stadium the enthusiasm is infectious, whereas at home it is a live match in the living room on the sofa. The potato chips and snacks are steadily gorged upon while a match is in progress.

As an afterthought after all the excitement died and while I lay in bed, I thought how stupid I was! Arre ‘what difference did my clapping or comment make to the batsman, bowler or fielder. No difference at all. I am  sitting here 100’s of miles away and  neither the batsman nor the bowler nor fielder know me .Here I am in full  throttle, cheering .

Whereas each of the players on the field was waiting for the crucial moment to act. It was this which  would make a difference to the game.

Eureka, I sat up and realized that action is what counts in every sphere of our life. Comments, gossips  etc do not add any value at all. The moment inertia is sidelined and action starts there is momentum and value addition begins because  by standards hard work  has begun.

Dhoni ,Gilchrist,Gayle and all the players caused action and effect while I remained the Gallery seater.

I mused, I will continue  to remain the gallery seater without action and value addition unless I decide otherwise.

For a change I will switch sides to bring the action and excitement in because I am the maker of my destiny.