The Cairn Trophy
"Oh God! How long this test will continue?" said Ramesh, crestfallen, hitting his fist on the table.
"It's okay, Ramesh," counseled Raja, his childhood friend and a business partner now.
The mood in the cabin was gloomy. The friends were thinking about reviving their business. The business was first hit by the pandemic, then fire gutted down part the office and with it, the hopes of the partners.
While rearranging things, Raja's eye fell on the “Cairn trophy” which was lying in the corner of the last shelf.
"Lagori" suddenly shouted Raja.
"What happened?" Ramesh furiously yelled.
"You remember this trophy?" questioned Raja.
"Raja, how can I forget this? I got this for being "Best Player of the Tournament", that was my last match," an emotional Ramesh said sobbingly.
"Yes friend, that game depicted your inner strength. Two days before the match, you lost your baba, but still you gave the best," Raja said consoling.
“Yes, things were tough," Ramesh continued sobbingly.
"Ramesh, you are a much tougher guy. Recall your Lagori days, you were the Champion of the game and you should think like a champ even today when the chips are down," Raja said motivating his friend.
"Thank you Raja, you are my most valuable asset, I have earned," confided a relaxed Ramesh.
"Tell me one thing, when you played lagori what went through your mind?" asked Raja.
"How can I forget my first love? I used to play Lagori for almost the entire day. I would just love being on the ground. When in the game, as soon as I hit the Lagori, my entire concentration would be on the scattered stones. I would ensure the biggest stone makes the foundation strong and then others are piled up to balance. The best part would be to shout Lagori Lagori after it was piled up and the entire team would do an impromptu jig. It was pure bliss" a refreshed Ramesh announced reliving his championship days.
"Perfect Ramesh! Today with the chips down, have you tried imbibing your champion qualities in the business?" quipped Raja cheekily.
“I never imagined this way.”
Raja continued, “Don’t forget the famous lines of Abraham Lincoln, It is not how many times you fall, but how many times you stand up after the fall that decides the winner. So Ramesh, stand up now, motivate yourself and start piling up your Lagori (business).”
“This is really wonderful. I am more confident now. I had read ‘Everything's not lost unless your confidence is lost’. I’m able to believe in myself. I will rise from the ashes like a phoenix. Come, Let us strategize business plans to re-establish ourselves, bigger and better,” a recharged Ramesh announced.
“This is the fighter Ramesh I know!” exclaimed Raja shaking hands with his confident partner, who had a renewed energy and enthusiasm.
Cleaning the Cairn Trophy neatly, Raja placed it on Ramesh’s table, so that it gave sparks of motivation to the champion regularly.
Author’s Note: Every ground sport played teaches a person the truth of life and every child must be encouraged to play ground games.
Image courtesy: Google
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