A few days back as I turned 25 (Jesus! Still can’t get over the figure), a wise elder told me, “ Maybe your mind keeps on wandering back to the past, you may wish for it again or you may have regrets but you don’t need to fear that your best times have gone or that you have not achieved all that you have wanted to because your life is only just beginning .”
I
probably didn’t give it much of a thought till the absolutely gutting news of
the death of a 25 year old Australian cricketer Phil Hughes due to a freak
accident came in. Truth is I barely knew this cricketer. I must have seen him a
couple of times on TV and I remember seeing his name as the first one in
Australian scorecard all those times where Cricinfo was the only means to
follow cricket. That is why even if the face didn’t stick, the name did. I
didn’t even know the guy was dropped and was fighting to make a comeback. Maybe
it’s a testimony to the fact of how attached I am to cricket (and cricketers)
that despite almost have stopped following the game and barely knowing the player, a news like this left me so
shell shocked that I found myself dabbing my eyes frantically so as not to make
a complete ass of myself in my workplace where I read about this horrific piece
of information on my computer screen. As I lay awake that night, I asked myself - what was it about this news that shook me to
the core? Was it the fact that in the history of the sport I have followed since childhood, nobody has died on
field (ofcourse there have been close calls) and this death has happened in a
time when batsmen protection gear is at its most sophisticated? (to think that there
was a time where there were no helmets!). Or was it because he was a 25 year old just like
me?
Phil was giving it his everything to get back to the Aussie side. He apparently was almost on the verge of getting back into the squad. He faced setbacks, he fought hard and was heartbreakingly so close to achieving his goal. And then most unfortunately that fatal ball struck him. I wish he had been rewarded for fighting like a true champion when the chips were down. I wish that he would have felt the rush of relief, euphoria and accomplishment when receiving the news that he had earned a test recall. I wish he had felt the satisfaction and pride of donning the coveted baggy green cap again. I wish that we would have made a name for himself in international cricket. I think he should have got all of this. I guess thats why for me, it is fundamentally distressing to see '1988 - 2014' below his name. His life was only just beginning not just professionally but am sure in all other aspects as well. He didnt deserve to have all his hopes, dreams and aspirations cut short like this. No one does. Makes you wonder how valid all the slob about how in life, everything happens for a reason and for the best is.
I feel for his family, his friends and most importantly Sean Abbott - the bowler who bowled the fatal bouncer. I recalled an instance in my childhood where by sheer accident, I caused a kid who was playing with me to get a couple of stitches. I remember not being able to show my face to anyone, locking myself in a room and howling away to glory the whole night because of the terrifying guilt I felt despite it not being my fault. I cant even imagine the kind of nightmare Sean is going through who will have to live through this tragedy his entire life. I sincerely hope he gets through this cause like the cricketing community, I dont even one bit think its his fault.
Somehow, when you are in your mid twenties, you tend to feel that you are invincible. You most likely are at the peak of your youth and health. Where I am concerned, I dont think I have ever been so demanding of what I expect from life - personally and professionally. I now understand what that lady meant when she told me that my life is only beginning. It seemed incomprehensible to me that my life can possibly be taken away from me at this stage. Guess this whole episode really hammered in one fact for me - you really never know when your time is up. Life is really short to be taken for granted and to push trying for things you really hope for to 'someday' or 'one day'.
For me, Phillip Joel Hughes 63 not out in that fateful match before he passed away is symbolic of right till the end, striving your best to become the person you have always wanted to be so that even if you have to make a premature exit, you go with no regrets.
Rest in peace, Phil. In the words of your buddy, Michael Clarke - We love you.
Phil was giving it his everything to get back to the Aussie side. He apparently was almost on the verge of getting back into the squad. He faced setbacks, he fought hard and was heartbreakingly so close to achieving his goal. And then most unfortunately that fatal ball struck him. I wish he had been rewarded for fighting like a true champion when the chips were down. I wish that he would have felt the rush of relief, euphoria and accomplishment when receiving the news that he had earned a test recall. I wish he had felt the satisfaction and pride of donning the coveted baggy green cap again. I wish that we would have made a name for himself in international cricket. I think he should have got all of this. I guess thats why for me, it is fundamentally distressing to see '1988 - 2014' below his name. His life was only just beginning not just professionally but am sure in all other aspects as well. He didnt deserve to have all his hopes, dreams and aspirations cut short like this. No one does. Makes you wonder how valid all the slob about how in life, everything happens for a reason and for the best is.
I feel for his family, his friends and most importantly Sean Abbott - the bowler who bowled the fatal bouncer. I recalled an instance in my childhood where by sheer accident, I caused a kid who was playing with me to get a couple of stitches. I remember not being able to show my face to anyone, locking myself in a room and howling away to glory the whole night because of the terrifying guilt I felt despite it not being my fault. I cant even imagine the kind of nightmare Sean is going through who will have to live through this tragedy his entire life. I sincerely hope he gets through this cause like the cricketing community, I dont even one bit think its his fault.
Somehow, when you are in your mid twenties, you tend to feel that you are invincible. You most likely are at the peak of your youth and health. Where I am concerned, I dont think I have ever been so demanding of what I expect from life - personally and professionally. I now understand what that lady meant when she told me that my life is only beginning. It seemed incomprehensible to me that my life can possibly be taken away from me at this stage. Guess this whole episode really hammered in one fact for me - you really never know when your time is up. Life is really short to be taken for granted and to push trying for things you really hope for to 'someday' or 'one day'.
For me, Phillip Joel Hughes 63 not out in that fateful match before he passed away is symbolic of right till the end, striving your best to become the person you have always wanted to be so that even if you have to make a premature exit, you go with no regrets.
Rest in peace, Phil. In the words of your buddy, Michael Clarke - We love you.
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