Wisdom from 'The Perks of being a Wallflower'

Art is a very subjective form of creative expression. There are those rare times where a piece of art, whether a part of music, or a painting or a movie or a book has such an unmatched capability of connecting at various levels of your being, it's not even funny.

"The Perks of being a Wallflower" is about an awkward teenager named Charlie navigating his way through his first year of high school.  It's a book and movie written and directed by the same person - Stephen Chbosky. I had seen the movie a couple of months back. Although, I wouldn't count it as one of my favourite movies, it certainly had some brilliant moments in it.

I managed to read the book today. Basically the book is in the form of a series of letters the main character Charlie who writes to some unknown entity whom he refers to as, "Dear Friend" talking about his life, his thoughts and feelings. He comes with a lot of baggage. He was sexually abused as a kid by his aunt which comes to light by the end of the book, his best friend committed suicide, he is quite a literature geek who gobbles up books, he is one of those socially awkward 'uncool' kids, very sensitive, has a beautiful heart, incredibly genuine, sincere even naive.  But according to me, what really stands out about him is his profound thoughts reflecting maturity way beyond his 15 years of age.  I was struck by some absolute pearls of wisdom scattered throughout the book in Charlie's letters that I felt the need of having a pen handy for underlining some lines which I really do not intend to forget for a very very long time. This is possibly the first non study material book where I have actually felt the need of doing something like this.

Anybody reading this post most likely has watched the movie given its popularity. Frankly, given the writer of the book and director of the movie is the same person, the movie is as possibly close to the book as it can get. The casting of characters is flawless. In fact, some of the crucial moments are expressed much more poignantly in the movie than in the book. This was quite a major surprise for me because I have always belonged to the old school of thought where books beat movies in terms of depth of expression hands down, 

The purpose of writing this post is to pen down those lines of the book which probably did not make it to the movie. Mind you the guy writing these letters is just 15. It obviously would be more ideal to read these lines with context but even as stand alone lines, they do manage to have the intended effect Here goes:

"It would be nice to have a friend again. I would like that even more than a date."

"I can keep going without a friend. I used to be able to do it very easily, but that was before I knew what having a friend was like. It's much easier to not know thing sometimes"

"It's just hard to see a friend hurt this much. Especially when you can't do anything except 'be there'. I want to make him stop hurting, but I can't"

"I think it was the first time in my life I ever felt I looked 'good'. Do you know what I mean? That nice feeling when you look in the mirror, and your hair's right for the first time in your life? I don't think we should base so much on weight, muscles, and a good hair day. But when it happens, it's nice, it really is."

"Do you enjoy holidays with your family? Personally, I do. I am very interested and fascinated by how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other."

"I don't know if you've ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for a thousand years. Or just not exist. Or just not be aware that you exist. Or something like that."

"I wish that God or my parents or Sam or my sister or someone would just tell me whats wrong with me. Just tell me how to be different in  way that makes sense. To make all this go away. And disappear. I know that's wrong because it's my responsibility, and I know that things get worse before they get better because that's what my psychiatrist says, but this is a worse that feels too big."

"I feel great! I really mean it. I have to remember this for the next time I'm having a terrible week. Have you ever done that? You feel really bad, and then it goes away, and you don't know why. I try to remind myself when I feel great like this that there will be another terrible week coming someday, so I should store as many great details as I can, so during the next terrible week, I can remember those details and believe that I'll feel great again. It doesn't work a lot, but I think it's very important to try.

"I just had an amazing feeling when I finally held the tape in my hand, there was this one tape that had all of these memories and feelings and great joy and sadness. Right there in the palm of my hand. And I thought about how many people have loved those songs. And how many people have got through a lot of bad times because of those songs. And how many people enjoyed good times with those songs.  And how much those songs really mean. I hope the people who wrote those songs are happy. I hope they feel it's enough. I really do because they've made me happy. And I'm only one person."

""Inside the card I told Sam that the present I gave her was given to me by Aunt Helen. It was an old 45 year old record that had the Beatles song 'Something'. I used to listen to it all the time when I was little and thinking about grown-up things. I would go to my bedroom window and stare at my reflection in the glass and the trees behind it and just listen to the song for hours. I decided then when I met someone I thought was as beautiful as the song, I should give it to that person. And I didn't mean beautiful on the outside. I meant beautiful in all ways. So, I was giving it to Sam."

"I wish I could stop being in love with Sam. I really do."

"I would die for you. But I won't live for you" - quoted from Fountainhead 

"We'll all be talking till its time to go home. Then, when I get home, Mary Elizabeth will call me right away and ask me, "What's up?" And I don't know what to say because the only thing new in my life is my walk home, which isn't a lot. But I describe the walk anyway"

"I wasn't happy about Sam and Craig breaking up. Not at all. I never once thought that it would mean Sam might start liking me. All I cared about was the fact that Sam got really hurt. And I guess I realized at that moment that I did really love her. Because there was nothing to gain and that didn't matter"

"You can't just sit there and put everybody's lives ahead of yours and think that it counts as love. You just can't. You have to do things. Like take their hands when a slow song comes up for a change. Or be the one who asks someone for a date. Or tell people what you need.Or what you want. It's just that I don't want to be someone's crush. If someone likes me I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don't want them to carry it inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it too. I want them to be able to do whatever they want around me. And if they do something I don't like, I'll tell them"

"But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from here"

"And even if someone has it much worse, that  really doesn't change the fact what you have. I don't think I have it any better or worse than she does. I don't know, It's just different"

"It's just that sometimes people use thoughts not to participate in life"

"Not everyone has a sob story, Charlie...and even if they do, it's no excuse."

"And in that moment, I swear we were infinite" (the most high profile line of the movie)

_________________________________________________________________________________

Coming to more original thoughts where I am just not copy-pasting lines from the book, a sort parallel story running in the book talks about Charlie's sister being in an abusive relationship. Ironically the sister is portrayed to be a character who is quite feminist in her views. She thinks that cheer leading is stupid and sexist, that looks is not the main factor a girl should not be judged by and she denounces a portrayal of a woman being deemed worthless as 'an old maid' if she is not married. But all this doesn't count for squat in her relationship with her boyfriend. Charlie witnesses her boyfriend physically hitting her. She tells Charlie to swear not to tell their parents. Eventually Charlie confides to his English teacher about this who in turn tells her parents. When her parents forbid her from ever seeing her boyfriend again, she cries saying

"He's my whole world"

"Don't ever say that about anyone again. Not even me." said Mom

Eventually the sister gets back with her boyfriend in secret before ultimately breaking up with him when she has to undergo abortion all alone when she discovers that she got pregnant!

Another abusive relationship runs in the backdrop where Charlie's best friend Patrick is gay and is having a secret affair with a a guy named Brad. Brad is a high profile football player of the school team and is one of the popular guys. He can't stand anyone finding out about his sexual orientation so he completely ignores Patrick during normal hours not as much even looking at him. One day after Brad's father discovers their relationship and beats the stuffing out of Brad,  Brad goes as far as humiliating Patrick in public calling him a 'faggot' in front of all his football friends during which Patrick finally loses it and has a big public brawl in front of the entire school. 

The reason I quote these 2 stories is that there is something that disturbs me. Why do supposedly strong people put up being treated like absolute doormats from their partners?

At least in the above stories you can say that the people involved were kids - young, naive and stupid. But as I get older, I have discovered that this fact hasn't changed. Even when somebody has intentionally caused a person irreversible hurt, pain and betrayal, in so many cases, that person however rational he/she normally is just seem too willing to give the other person chance after chance hoping in their heart of hearts that the betrayal that happened was just a minor aberration and it would never happen again or even resigning to the fact that they will have to put up with this and be miserable simply because they can't live without the other person. They just take the crap/abuse Am not saying that the wrongful person in question here is a super evil brand of species who deserves to be hanged or something or that the person doesn't deserve a second chance if she/he is truly remorseful about what happened, Its just that I think - In any kind of relationship, I think that the balance of power needs to be more or less equal. Of course, it never can be 50-50 but it just shouldn't be so lopsided where one of the parties is allowed to manipulate and take the other party for an absolute ride. (I guess a parent - child relationship is by its inherent nature, a very lopsided relationship.)

I suppose in the very same book, the answer to my question is provided by Charlie's English teacher who says "Charlie, we accept the love that we think we deserve". It's a bit of a confusing answer. Does it really boil down to self esteem that you do not think of yourself worthy enough to move on from the things that don't really deserve to have a place in your life anymore?

It's very easy to wonder, comment and make judgments on something that you observe and when not in the same situation. I just wish that some people would realize that they are way too special to settle for something which does not give them the respect, love and dignity that they deserve.
  

As negative as all this sounds, this certainly is not my biggest takeaway from the book. The book though the character of Charlie is so wonderfully good and pure. By the end of the book, Charlie comes to terms with his past, realizes and acknowledges the value of his support system - family and friends even though they are aren't perfect, He finds perfections in small things like deep conversations, music, books, having a mentor to back you, the beautiful moments shared with Patrick, his sister and Sam.  He comes to embrace his uniqueness and exhibits unbridled optimism about his future where though he realizes that though by standing on the fringes of life, he has attained a unique perspective, the time has come to see what life looks like from the dance floor.

The ending can't have been captured more beautifully in the tunnel scene in the movie and the following lines in the book.

"Tomorrow, I start my sophomore year of high school. And believe it or not, I'm not really that afraid of going. I'm not sure if I will have the time to write any more letters because I might be too busy trying to "participate"

So, if this does end up being my last letter, please believe that things are good with me, and even if they're not, they will be soon enough.

And I will believe the same about you.

Love always,
Charlie"

A real gem, Mr. Chbosky. Take a bow.

Thoughts on Ethan Hawke's letter about the Beatles breakup

In the movie 'Boyhood', there is a scene where in the main protagonist's 15th birthday, his father (Ethan Hawke) gifts him an album where he has painstakingly compiled the best solo hits of each of the 4 Beatles - John, Paul, George and Ringo in such a way that even though this a a post-beatles break up album, it still sounds like as if the Beatles are playing together.

Though it isn't shown in the film, the dad writes a long elaborate mail to his son, Mason about the why he made the album, his thoughts and feelings behind it and even about the Beatles as a band. Best part if that this is not some fictional letter written as a part of a movie script. This is a letter apparently written by Ethan Hawke in real life to his daughter after divorcing her Mom. 

When I came across this letter, I was touched...it's just simple, beautiful and from the heart from a person who is in pain and is using the nasty Beatles breakup as a reference to try and understand and deal with his pain of separating from his wife . Of course, it really does help if you are a Beatles fan. Even as a person who (falsely) thinks she is a phD where the Beatles are concerned, the letter is really an eye opener. If you don't have the patience to go through the whole letter, do read the parts in bold :p)  The following is the letter:

Mason,

I wanted to give you something for your birthday that money couldn’t buy, something that only a father could give a son, like a family heirloom. This is the best I could do. Apologies in advance.

I present to you: THE BEATLES’ BLACK ALBUM.

The only work I’ve ever been a part of that I feel any sense of pride for involves something born in a spirit of collaboration — not my idea or his or her idea, but some unforeseeable magic that happens in creativity when energies collide.

This is the best of John, Paul, George, and Ringo’s solo work, post-BEATLES. Basically I’ve put the band back together for you. There’s this thing that happens when you listen to too much of the solo stuff separately — too much Lennon: suddenly there’s a little too much self-involvement in the room; too much Paul and it can become sentimental — let’s face it, borderline goofy; too much George: I mean, we all have our spiritual side but it’s only interesting for about six minutes, ya know? Ringo: He’s funny, irreverent, and cool, but he can’t sing — he had a bunch of hits in the ’70s (even more than Lennon) but you aren’t gonna go home and crank up a Ringo Starr album start to finish, you’re just not gonna do that. When you mix up their work, though, when you put them side by side and let them flow — they elevate each other, and you start to hear it: T H E B E A T L E S.

Just listen to the whole CD, OK?

I guess it was the fact that Lennon was shot and killed at 40 (one of Lennon’s last fully composed songs was “Life Begins at 40,” which he wrote for Ringo — I couldn’t bring myself to include it on the mix as the irony still does not make me laugh) and that I just turned 40 myself that conjured this BLACK ALBUM. I listen to this music and for some reason (maybe the ongoing, metamorphosing pain of my divorce from your mother) I am filled with sadness that John & Paul’s friendship turned so bitter. I know, I know, I know, it has nothing to do with me, but damn it, tell me again why love can’t last. Why do we give in to pettiness? Why did they? Why do we so often see gifts as threats? Differences as shortcomings? Why can we not see that our friction could be used to polish one another?

I read a little anecdote about when John’s mother died:

He was an angry teenager — a switchblade in his pocket, a cigarette in his lips, sex on his mind. At a memorial service for his “unstable” and suddenly dead mom (whom he’d just recently been getting close to), he — pissed off and drunk — punched a bandmate in the face and stormed out of the memorial reception. Paul, several years his junior — a young boy, really, who didn’t yet care about girls, who was clearly UNCOOL, and who was let into the band despite his lack of badass-ness and sexual prowess due to the fact that even at 14 he could play the shit out of the guitar — chased John out onto the street saying, “John, why are you being such a jerk?”

John said, “My mum’s fuckin’ dead!”
Paul said, “You never even once asked me about my mum.”
“What about her?”
“…My mum’s dead too.”
They hugged in the middle of the suburban street. John apparently said, “Can we please start a fucking rock ‘n’ roll band?”

This story answered a question that had lingered in my brain my whole music-listening life: If The Beatles were only together 10 years and the members of the band were so young that entire time, how did they manage to write “Help,” “Fool on the Hill,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Yesterday,” “A Day in the Life”? They were just 25-year-old boys with a gaggle of babes outside their hotel room door and as much champagne as a young lad could stand. How did they set their minds to such substantive artistic goals?

They did it because they were in pain. They knew that love does not last. They knew it as extremely young men.

With the BLACK ALBUM, we get to hear the boys write on adult life: marriage, fatherhood, sobriety, spiritual yearning, the emptiness of material success — “Starting Over,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Beautiful Boy,” “The No No Song,” “God” — and still they are keenly aware of this fact: Love does not last.

I don’t want it to be true. I want Lennon/McCartney to write beautifully together forever, but is that really the point? I mean if the point of a rose was to last forever, it would be made of stone, right? So how do we handle this idea with grace and maturity? If you’re a romantic like me, it’s hard not to long for some indication of healing between the two of them. All signs point that way.

When Paul went on SNL recently, he played almost all LENNON. And he did it with obvious joy.

Listen to McCartney’s “Here Today.”

Can you listen to “Two of Us” (the last song they wrote side by side) and not hurt a little? What were those two motherless boys who hugged in the middle of the road so long ago thinking as they wrote “The two of us have memories longer then the road that stretches out ahead”?

The dynamic of their breakup, like any divorce, is mysterious. Some say that Paul, the pupil, had surpassed John, the mentor, and they couldn’t reach a new balance. Some say Paul was a little snot who bought the publishing rights out from underneath the other three. Others say without Brian Epstein there was no mediator between their egos. Who knows.

I played Samantha “Hey Jude” the other day, and of course she listened to it over and over. I told her the song had been written by McCartney for Lennon’s son after Lennon’s divorce and she listened even more intently. George once said that “Hey Jude” was the beginning of the end for the Beatles. Brian Epstein had just died and John & Paul were left alone to run the brand-new Apple label. They recorded “Hey Jude” and “Revolution” as a single. Normally, Brian would decide which song was the A-side and which was the B-side, but now it was up to the boys. John thought “Revolution” was an important political rock song and that they needed to establish themselves as an adult band. Paul thought “Revolution” was brilliant but that The Beatles were primarily a pop band and so they should lead with “Hey Jude.” He knew it would be a monster hit and that the politics should come on a subversive B-side. They had a vote. “Hey Jude” won 3-1. George said that John felt Paul had pulled off a kind of coup d’etat. He wasn’t visibly upset but he began to withdraw. It was no longer his band.

The irony/punch line of this story is another story I once heard: When the “Hey Jude”/”Revolution” single was hot off the press, the boys had the mischievous idea of bringing their own new single to a Rolling Stones record-release listening party. Mick Jagger says that once the Fab Four arrived and let word of their new single slip — just as Side 1 of the Stones’ big new album was finishing — everyone clamored to hear it. Once The Beatles were on, they just kept flipping the single over and over. Side 2 of BEGGARS BANQUET never even found the needle.

So no matter how mad John was, he wasn’t that mad…

Once when John was asked whether he would ever play with Paul again, he answered: “It would always be about, ‘Play what?’ It’s about the music. We play well together — if he had an idea and needed me, I’d be interested.”

I love that.

Maybe the lesson is: Love doesn’t last, but the music love creates just might.

Your mom and I couldn’t make love last, but you are the music, my man.

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love…”

I love you. Happy birthday.

Your Dad

If you are emotionally invested in the Beatles like I am these are the top 3 questions which will always be in you head:

1) Why did John Lennon die the way he did (some deranged asshole shooting him pointblank at the age of 40)? What if he were alive today?

I guess this is something that only God would be able to answer

2) How the hell did the bunch of fellows who were so so sooo young (ages 21-27 on an average during the entire tenure of the Beatles) manage to make such deep music reflecting maturity beyond their years?

I must say I think this letter satisfactorily answers this question

3) Why why WHY??? did John and Paul - who created magic together and who were once so close have to fall out in such a bitterly dramatic manner? 

As asked in the letter, I too have always pondered and wondered the same damn thing. Like Ethan Hawke, I too have kept on trying to find out signs that maybe just maybe they reconciled their differences or at least Paul managed to let go of all the bitterness after John's death.

I have watched this video where in 1988 or so, the Beatles got inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. To receive the award, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono (John's wife) and Lennon's 2 sons were present, came up and gave individual speeches. Paul McCartney was conspicuous in his absence. The reason he didn't attend as given by him was - "I was keen to go to (the dinner) and pick up my award, but after 20 years the Beatles still have some business and personal differences which I had hoped would have been settled by now. Unfortunately, they haven't been (settled), so I would feel like a complete hypocrite waving and smiling with (Harrison and Starr) at a fake reunion."

I must say that I was AGHAST reading this. I just couldn't believe that my favourite Beatle (whose songs and lyrics have touched my soul for life and gave me a glimpse of what deepest of deep emotions feel like) placing 'business differences' over and above friendship that too 8 years after Lennon murdered, could act like such a shallow jerk. Was it so difficult for Macca to put aside his inflated ego for 1 night and collect a prestigious award with his remaining bandmates and surviving family members of his fellow writing partner?

Yoko Ono (believed to be one of the major causes of friction between John and Paul) in her acceptance speech in the same night said "I wish John was here....he would have been here you know....he would have come." in an obvious barb directed at Paul. 

Despite the above, as pointed out in the letter, definitely there have been signs of healing. But addressing the philosophical side of this letter, asking the same question that Ethan Hawke asks in a different way - what exactly is it that causes irreparable disintegration of meaningful relationships (I include any type of relationship here including friendships etc). C'mon, there has be better reasons than "All Good things come to an end" or "Love does not last".

Really, why are human beings so petty? We so many times make such a complicate mess up of good relationships in our lives. Our inflated egos render it impossible (even if we have good hearts) to even make an attempt to heal broken relationships. Of course there are those relationships that run its course of time and its better they end when they do. Its really sad when good things do come to an end but why hold on to the feeling of choking bitterness towards someone who once upon a time gave you such joy?

But to think about it, if there is one thing that I don't agree with this letter is that sweeping statement that the the author makes about how "Love doesn't last" (its understandable that the author is in pain over separation and  would write this). Of course I am not naive to believe that love WILL always last (like every person, I have had my share of fall outs with people) but I think "Love CAN last". Am sure that every person can point out examples (even if it’s a few) where love has lasted. Maybe its the 100% willingness from BOTH parties involved to be able to want to make it work no matter what is the difference between successful and failed relationships.  Ironically, it’s the Beatles music (and other music as well) that makes me believe this. Even if you look at the Beatle's personal lives, the love between Paul and Linda McCartney clearly lasted. I saw an interview with 2 of the surviving members of the Beatles (Paul and Ringo) on Larry King in 2007 or so. It was such a treat to watch. The same Paul McCartney who couldn't share a stage with Starr in 1988 because of 'business and personal' differences was interacting with Ringo with such beautiful warmth, closeness and playful camaraderie (they were even together mischievously pulling the host's leg) which is only possible between insanely close pals. So, to end on an optimistic note, I'd like to believe that good things...the really good worth it things...never die.

The Proteas Inspiration

Yesterday was the Cricket World Cup 2015 Semifinals South Africa vs New Zealand in Eden Gardens New Zealand. I was desperately with all my heart rooting for SA. It was a nail biting finish which resulted in tears LITERALLY for SA. The only word I can think of to accurately describe my reaction is Gobsmacked.

I was crippled and paralyzed with shock for at least 15 minutes after I saw the word 'SIX' against the second last ball of the match by that NZ batsman Elliot  in the running commentary of Cricinfo. (For distant future reference, NZ were in a position where they needed 5 to win of 2 balls and Dale Steyn was bowling the last over) Then after reading about the reactions and with all the pictures coming in of the SA player's visible anguish and despair, I almost wept too. I felt overwhelming emotion thundering inside me.

Even a day after, I feel so bad about SA's loss, I just can't bring myself to think coherently about what exactly I want to express in this post about yet another disappointment for SA in a World Cup.

Putting aside all the logical jazz of how NZ deserved to get into the finals, no matter how good you are what matters is how you handle pressure and all that, I want to rant, But what do I rant about? Do I rant about the unfairness of it all...I truly believe that the SA cricket team is one of the if not the most success deserving entity in world sport. And whoever has an idea of cricket the past 20 years or so will have seen how bloody good...how bloody consistent... and how bloody entertaining this team has been THROUGHOUT. SA has had some of the most phenomenal ODI players like Cronje, Rhodes, Kluesner, Pollock, Donald, ABD etc. They have given fans some of the best matches in cricket history. They successfully chased the highest score (434 vs Australia)....they have set the second highest target in ODI history (439 vs WI)...and so many more. How is it fair that even after all this time, such a deserving team does not get its due?

I remember SA vs Aus 1999 WC semifinals is what really hooked me on to cricket. I remember clearly my 9-10 year old self  kneeling down to the ground and wailing "No...no...nooooo" when that famous run out happened. It is weird. I dunno why I felt that strong affinity towards the Proteas despite South Africa not even being my country. From that time on...I was a Proteas fan. Then came the 2003 WC which was another disaster (that blasted combination of rain and D/L method again!) that almost gave me a stroke with my all time favourite cricketer Shaun Pollock getting sacked as a captain as a result. Year after year, I was left lamenting over SA's infamous "choking" habit in all those critical matches in global tournaments where they would get knocked out. I guess I have innumerable status on social media like Orkut and Facebook dedicated to this subject. In fact once, I even got a comment - "It would be nice if you could worry about your country for a change!" I remember all those tense situations in a match where I have actually muttered  prayers like- "God, they really deserve to win - please please pleeeeeease get them through". Where the WC is concerned, they are yet to be answered,

I guess after all this, probably the most fundamental question that I want to ask myself is - Why care so much? Why go through such roller coaster emotions for a stupid sport and its players?

To answer this question, I first direct my thoughts to AB de Villers - SA captain and one of my favourite current sportspeople. In terms of talent, this guy is a genius,...not from this planet. But what I do love about him the most is a description of him that I read in a newspaper when he started blossoming as a cricketer way back in 2007. The article in the mentioned newspaper went like "What strikes you most about AB de Villers is that he is incredibly humble and down to earth and yet his body language oozes with quiet confidence."

What I am trying to illustrate is that ABD is a classic case of what the SA team represents - A set of incredibly inspiring values worthy of emulation. They are supremely talented, confident, good spirited, ethical, low profile, non flamboyant, let their on field rather than off field antics do the talking, very united as a team, intense and very very passionate about their game, competitive, aggressive when required but not boorish, sporting, humble and very nice. They say that professionally, it is difficult to be well liked and well respected at the same time. But the SA cricket team have managed to be the rare combination of both. The outpouring of anguish, support and sympathy for them from cricket fans world over irrespective of their nationality in platforms like Cricinfo, Facebook etc speaks volumes of what a fantastic unit they are and the high esteem they are held in.

The values that they represent are the values that fans like me admire, the value based on which strive to become the persons we have always wanted to be.I guess that's why it hurts so bad when a sports team/player who is representative of all those values that you cherish don't get rewarded the way that you want them to.

But know what, despite all the heartache, I feel more inspired by the Proteas rather than deflated.  As after every loss, I find myself armed with the hope that maybe.... just maybe next time will be their time. Even in the scenario of them never winning a WC in my lifetime or the scenario of them winning a WC but me completely having stopped following and caring about cricket by then, I will never ever ever look back and have regrets all those times I emotionally invested in a sports team and players. The SA cricket team were well worth it.

In short, as Cricket South Africa has so beautifully put it....