Innocent Race!

We all are constantly running a race, a race of life. And it's not just a race, it’s a race to win!! Isn’t it? And does this "race" really exist the way we see it?

This so-called "race" started quite early in our childhood and is still going on in different ways, different forms, at different thresholds of life. But there was a difference in this race which we ran as a child and which we now run as an adult. The important fact is that we did not know it's a race and winning thus was trivial. As we grew, the race turned into a vast competition where we wanted to win! Even if not winning, we wanted to ensure we run it because others are running and forget what we lost behind while we were running!

 Let me share with you a lovely experience of mine.

 It was a beautiful evening and I was sitting in a garden reading my book. Just then, I heard children shouting, “Come on Priya, run, run!” Come on Shree, run run!”

Kids playing are always more fun than a barrel of monkeys! 😊 I couldn't resist watching these adorable kids enjoying, having fun, shouting, and running. It brought back some wonderful childhood memories as well.

They had a teacher with them, who had put them in groups to run a race. Each group had to go run, touch the tree and come back. She asked the groups to run and said.." Let us see who runs fast and reaches me first". You might feel..what's different in this?...but there is something which I saw and it touched my heart...

This one group of three little ones had their turn to run. On the shout of 1, 2, and 3, all the three tiny tots began running. Two of them ran as fast as they could..but then the third one did not run...she was a bit scared, she just stood there. The teacher shouted, "Run Gargi...run".  That is when Gargi ran with her two ponytails swinging side to side😊

Just then something very astounding happened. The other two who had reached the tree, waited there for her...they did not run back..they kept calling her.."Ye Gargi..ye"[ Come Gargi, Come]. They did not move until Gargi reached the tree. They encouraged her so much that she overcame her fear and ran. When she reached the tree, they hold each other's hands and all three ran back to the teacher together.

And I smiled and said to myself, “How innocent!”, “ What a perfect race! What a perfect partnership! What a perfect teamwork! I gave it a name “Innocent Race !!” 😊

We relate innocence to children....but don't we have a CHIlD hidden in us?...then where does the innocence get lost with time?

It's not lost...it's very much there...it's just the FEAR inside. Fear of being looked upon as MINDLESS, the FEAR of FAILURE, the FEAR of LOSING, is what holds one back.

Break the FEAR, bring out the child in you, nurture that pure heart of yours with love and empathy of all.

Life is not about winning the race. Life is about finishing the race, and how many people we can help finish the race together. Let’s be kinder to each other😊