Practice makes performance Interesting

Once Bhagwan Indra was upset with farmers. So, he told the farmers that there will be no rain for 12 years and they won't be able to produce crops. 

Farmers begged for forgiveness from Bhagwan Indra, who then said, the rain will be possible only if Bhagwan Shiv played his Damru. But Bhagwan Indra requested Bhagwan Shiv not to listen to the request of the farmers. When the farmers reached Bhagwan Shiv, he told them that he will play Damru after 12 years. 

Disappointed, the farmers decided to wait for the 12 years to pass. However, there was one farmer who kept on digging, treated the soil with fertilizer and manure, and sowed the seeds even with no crop. 

Other farmers made fun of the lone farmer. After three years, all farmers asked that farmer why was he wasting time and energy when he knew that rains will not come before the end of the 12 year period. 

The farmer replied: "I know there won’t be a crop but I'm doing it as a matter of ‘practice’. After 12 years, as I will forget the process of growing crops and working in the field, I must keep doing it so that I'm fit to produce the crop the moment there is rain after 12 years.” 

A deeply impressed Mata Parvati narrated the farmer’s story to Bhagwan Shiv & cautioned him that He might also follow the advice of the farmer lest he lose the practice of playing the Damru after 12 years.

An anxious Bhagwan Shiv tried to play the Damru. As the Damru played, it began to rain! So, the farmer who had readied his field through constant work reaped a bumper crop while the other farmers lost out on a golden opportunity. 

Moral of the Story

The game is won during the practice, not during the performance. Do not wait for the right opportunity, create your own opportunity. The practice is boring but that's what makes your performance interesting!