WHO IS HE

WHO IS THIS MAN?

(In the earlier series the readers were given an anecdote as to how it makes a difference when one drop the garb of pride as to ‘I’, ‘ME’ and ‘MINE’ factor. The moment it is dropped one becomes a divine self. It is so described in ‘Geeta’ by none other than the ‘Lord’ himself. It was also so beautifully presented in celluloid form in a movie called “Guide”, where the hero of the film realizes at the end of the movie that ‘selffulness’ was the only reason of all of his worries and sorrows. The writer here presents one another instance as to how it makes a difference to life, when one learn the difference between chasing a goal and selecting a right path to travel for humanity. It is in this hope presented for the young readers)   

He was participating in his dream Olympic game of Seoul 1988 at the age of 32, representing Canada, and competing for single-seated Finn dinghy sailor race. Coincidently his fellow countrymen Ben Jonson was also taking part in athletic events. The sailor rightly deserved an Olympic berth for his country,      because of his astute sailing skills, and was confident to return with a medal. But the ‘moments of truth’ had something different in store. 

He is ‘Lawrence Lemieux’, who remains in rainbow till this day even after 25 years of that fateful day. When he started his race in the hope of a medal nobody could imagine he will become a humanity   hero.

What Lemieux did on 24^th September 1988 afternoon, no one else but God in action could have only performed. Lemieux was far ahead in the turbulent sea amongst all the participants at that time, and could have easily reached for the silver or gold medal position. But a turning moment changed the whole course. Without wasting a second he made a u-turn to proceed to save a competitor couple in trouble who almost gave up any chance to survive.  Lemieux not only picked up the drowning one first and helped the second one to get resuscitated and waited till the Korean Navy Rescue Team took the participants away.  He then resumed his race to finish 22^nd in the event.

Lemieux was awarded the highest Olympian ‘Sportsman Ship’ medal more than the worth of winning a gold medal. The IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, in his citation said “By  your sportsmanship, self- sacrifice, and courage you embody all that is right with the Olympic ideal”. Later he became the most sought after ‘sailing coach’ for the aspirants and countries. He was honored by many countries thereafter. He retired from all the activities of his sport at the age of 57 in 2012. He was fittingly included in the ‘Alberto Hall of Fame’ in September 2012, and got enshrined as living legend though without winning a medal, in his dream Olympic of 1988.

Lawrence Lemieux grew up sailing on the lakes of western Canada. So adept was he that, throughout his teens and twenties, Lemieux won many competitions throughout North America. He began racing solo in the 1970’s and found that it relies on the individual tactics and strategy. “It is you and the boat. You are in control of your destiny; you can develop a technique that works for you. It is all you” he says. In the first world champion ship he finished eighth. But he also believed that they were not the best sailors in the world. “We were a new breed then in the late seventies and early eighties. There was a group of us, I was the only guy from Canada, and may be four or five Americans. We sailed full time and that’s all we did. We lived in vans, we ate in camp grounds, we had no money- but we excelled. We took the sport to a new level.” Skilled and self assured, the 32 year old Lemieux easily earned a place on his sailing team of the country for the summer Olympic  games to be held in South Korea . 

Born on Nov. 12, 1955, in Edmonton, Alberto, who competed in the 1984 summer Olympic in star class and at the 1988 summer Olympic in the Finn class. He became famous for his feat, in the later competition, which resulted in him being awarded the ‘Pierre de Coubertin Medal’.

September 24, 1988; history was about to be written for an Olympic medalist aspirant sailor:

Lawrence Lemieux was waiting for his turn to go for his lap that may decide his position on winner’s podium. The waters of Pusan, 450 kilo meters away from the coast, were calm, the wind blowing at 10 to 15 knots- nearly ideal sailing conditions. The first four races went smoothly, with Jose Luis Doreste of Spain  and Peter Holmerg of the Virgin Islands earned comfortable leads. When Lemieux turn came, with the fifth lap, the winds picked up to a dangerous 35 knots.

Battling the winds, this man forged ahead, clocking a time that would have qualified him for a silver medal overall, but in his mind he was sure to go for gold at that moment. When all of a sudden he abandoned the race, and changed his direction to a capsizing boat that had been competing for Singapore in different category. The boat’s injured crew members, Shaw Her Siew and Joseph Chan, were in the turbulent oceanic water, Chan having been thrown nearly 20 meters from his craft and Siew clinging to the overturned boat. What then this man did, became folklore in Olympic.

He reminisces the day till this day,even after 25 years very clearly. Once in an interview he narrated the fleeting moments as if it happened yesterday. The race was for a competition to win but it turned out to be a race of a lifetime. Eventually humanity won the race. It is way you look at the events at a particular moment. And that’s make all the difference. The moments of truth in his own words:

“I was sailing for Canada in a one-man Finn dinghy, which was sharing its course with two other races; the men’s and women’s 470 two person boats. The conditions were unexpectedly challenging, with strong winds and currents causing exceptionally steep waves. I was winning my race, much ahead of my category of competitors, until I dropped to second place, as I missed a marker- the fluorescent buoys that signaled the course were eight feet high, but the waves were so large that I simply didn’t get them. I had raced in that much wind, but the steepness of the waves, was altogether of a different proportion. I could have managed to overcome all, because for almost 18 years I was living with many of them like.”

”A number of other competitors were also running in difficulty in the heavy seas, including those two Singaporeans. I spotted their upturned dinghy- one had made it onto the hull but the other was drifting helplessly. The distance between him and his boat was quite a way and the boat was drifting faster than he could swim. And if could not see those big orange markers, who is going to see a little head bobbing in the water? He would have been lost at sea. I had to make a decision and once I recalled the dynamics of the problem there was no other question.”

“I sailed by and used the momentum to flip him up into the boat. In a single-handed boat there is no room for a second person so I headed back towards the upturned Singaporean boat. This one had cut his hand, he was bleeding all over, and they lost their rudder as well, so they could right the boat. My hopes of the medal vanished as soon as I changed the course to head to the rescue help; I eventually finished 22^nd place.”

 “The first rule of sailing is, if you see someone in trouble, you need to go for help, except that, this was different.” He recalls,  ‘That wasn’t just  another sailing trip in the rough waters, I was competing in the 1988 Seoul Olympic, and my dream was about take shape, I had built up enough lead to have time to manage the situation, a medal was most likely in sight.”

“You just do it.”  Life is more important than a medal hunt, it struck to him, just go for help. “My thought process was; do they really need help because a lot of times you are able to save yourself. But I couldn’t understand  if they were saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ I just had to go. If I went to them and they didn’t really need help, it would have shattered my dream of two decades. If I didn’t go, it would be something you would regret for rest of your life.”

“I could have won gold. But under the circumstances, what I did, I would do again.” Lemieux says with pride; who while never making it to Olympics again, collected silver medal at the 1990 World Champion ship, and won all seven races in 1991 to win gold at the Pan-American Games. But more than that won the hearts of millions of people around the world, making them proud of being living-being in his times. Heads of states of many countries invited him to bestow ‘honour’ and to feel honoured by standing beside him. Lawrence Lemieux is the true role model and hero of sportsmanship.

God give opportunities to serve, to those who have genuinely big hearts. Let us develop a big heart with love and compassion.

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This is adapted version of my series on “IT IS THE WAY YOU LOOK AT“ in a book form (manuscript stage). ONI feel privileged that the introductory section to the book “WHO ARE YOU?” was considered for readership in “the Speaking Tree”. I hope this one will also be interest to all. I also work for “Punjab National Bank”. Age 59+. In the course of my occupational journey I have tried to serve a lot of people but in the process I rather learned more from them, briefly to say ‘a true meaning of life’.

Submitted for your kind consideration. ‘THE TIMES OF INDIA’ a habit formed for almost 50 years.

Note : I have mentioned the name of Ben Jonson only once and opted to just name him once only. It is because though Ben went on to win an Olympic medal in the same Olympic, but he was later stripped of the medal for using steroids. Ben Jonson also represented the same country like Lawrence Lemieux. It is coincidence that one returned with honour without winning a medal, and fellow countrymen in disgrace even after winning an Olympic medal       

CONFLICT AT WORK

We join together as a team for work, but end up in conflict. What can be the reason? It is because we are human beings, and being a human, we are prone to sensitivity. Many colleagues come from different backgrounds, with different culture, thinking, ideology, egos, perception etc. and to this can be added the environmental upbringing of respective person. All this goes on to build a rock solid bottom.  So even while working together, each one think he is right. From here, springs the conflict. The job of the superior is to convert, this conflict into conciliation, and channelize the same towards organization goal and objective.

The first step is to understand from which platform you are coming from, and then position yourself, so that the situation do not flare up. Secondly, learn to communicate, for that is the way out. Try to focus instead of who is right, to what is right. Be friendly, fair, frank, firm, and flexible. Follow this not only in office, but wherever you interact with different people in all relationship. “One day I too got into a brawl, with a old colleague of the office, out of no reason. The guy picked up a ‘word’ out of my conversation with my senior a few days back, and continued to hatch it, into monster. He interpreted the word in his own way and out of context. The very word which was used in praise of their entity and presence was taken as humiliation. What was more intriguing, he vomited the ire in early morning office hours, during exchange of pleasantries. I was shocked on seeing the posture, and tried to treat his humiliation with humility.” So narrated Vijay, about a situation, he came across one day in his department.

Such incidents are not rare in office politics. Sometime they are out of ego, sometimes deliberately to pull down a colleague, sometime to reflect upon superiority over the other, sometime due to mood swings, sometime due to lobby affiliations and sometime out of nothing i.e. just due to the very nature of the guy, temperament, health problems, family disturbance, etc etc . Peace and conciliation can be brought by the listener’s reaction, because a reaction can best be dealt with a response. Here the responding person becomes a witness to the situation rather a part of it, thereby becoming a medium   to defuse the conflict, instead of exaggerating that.

Vijay told, “that the guy became so furious that he lost his temper, and commanded me (his senior in position), to go away from his seat, and need not come in that section (where he was located), even after my pleading sorry for any misunderstanding, if created from my part, but this guy was so flared up, to go on to direct me, and to go out of his sight”. Vijay learnt a lesson that when you communicate, you should be aware that people’s hearing depends on what they are listening to. One cannot have a say over their interpretation of someone else. So leave it to him, and move on. One has to take a stand, but one should not remain standing at one place. Enjoy the joy of being simple.

Let us view the conflict of views through an example; workers were busy at a construction site of temple, a passerby asked one, “ what for you are busy”, he said can’t he see for himself, “we are busy in constructing a building.” he then asked another what for he is engaged, that guy said, ‘ he is engaged for livelihood, to feed his family’, the passerby then asked a third one, who said “ I am graceful to god, that HE has allowed me to contribute for a noble cause, sir, I am busy in building an abode for the god himself, I am so thankful to myself.” It  is the viewpoint that makes one different

Be simple, simplify life and then one can see life is a space to grow and not merely age. One becomes a victim of habits and negative attitude. Then one day it takes over. That grudging guy remains there and the uplifted one moves on. Just move on to relaxation and lightness. Turn the conflict into coordination.

Remember hate begets hatred. Love beholds love. If you extend a hand to ‘shake hand’ the other disgruntled one may take it as if you are going to slap, and by mistake you extended both hands to embarrass, the other may consider it, as if you are going to push him down. It is the way you look at the things. Be positive, all conflicts will resolve, of their own.

CRAZY KEJRIWAL

BE A CRAZY KEJRIWAL AND UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES BEFORE A SWARAJ

Crazy people do crazy things. We call them so because at a particular moment ( extendable to years as well ) they appear to be crazy, and
continuing to do so even when the whole world label them so. One can put in this category, the likes of Mahatama, the Bhagat Singh, the
Udham Singh and their clan and in the other category the likes Hitler, the Mussoloni, the Idi Amin and others. Who goes  to which slot
depends  on  the  common good of the pursuer in 'larger interest' or in 'self interest'. Kejriwal  of  India appears to belong  to the former category.

The CMship that he is trying bring about is of unique phenomena, he seems to be least interested in self aggrandizement , like the Mahatma, if we go by the interview conducted by Sh. Prasun Vajpayee ( of Aaj Tak fame) and put on the channel on  28- 01-2014. A volley of
questions were fired, to the worthy gentleman, who tried to clear many media generated public outcry on the handling of certain issues,
notably why went atop the terrace of his official building, why he sat on a 'dharna' at a sensitive  declared place in New Delhi area, just
before a National Celebrations, and many touching aspects on governance. The  reply of the guy appears to have made some sense,
but  the million dollar question is are we interested as a nation interested in such ideology. The way the question were articulated and asked were more in a leg pulling style of a person in a 30 days CM,
the interviewer himself concluded on many answers as "adbhut" (strange), thereby suggesting the mood of the querist,  as if the
responses are not  the ones 'appealing'  to the swinging mood of the masses.

It may be recalled , when Gandhi used to differ with the other stalwarts of the Congress during pre-independence era , similar notion used to be entertained then also, instead rejecting a person by creating a force of 'sunami' let us give time to understand the guy. A country never go bankrupt on new ideologies. What we were used to talk in hush up tones, the man has made all to talk boldly, stand with head held high. In the whole conversation Mr. Kejriwal addressed the interviewer as 'SIR', what can one expect from a 30 day CM. Let us not kill a new CMship in the making.

BE A VICTOR NOT A VICTIM

(Look to life in positive perspective and the best way towards that end is to forgive your tormentors. That is the easiest and the simplest way for becoming light and kind. Lifepositive is a concept that enables one, to look at all the beings as a soul. It is a stepping stone to get rid of ego as well, which is a primary ingredient that pollutes lifestyle. So forgive from your heart whosoever annoyed you; inflicted you with injury or was a cause of irritation, knowingly or unknowingly, so as to have the divine bliss, and    God’s grace. Look at the spiritual journey of the person, who could find all these elements just by ‘forgiving’. A name has given to him ‘I’, so as to make the reader realize the true impact of ‘forgiveness’. Make forgiveness your Life Time Resolution.)

What a victim can beg for?

He can ask for justice or financial compensation or at the best can forgive!

I suffered the worst I could at the hand of, one of our own customer and that too a woman. What can be said of this woman, to whom I never even met and to whom my own institution once accommodated, way back in 2006, by giving financial assistance of around rupees one lakh. It was the talk of the town, that this lady vanished from the town after the disbursement, in order to avoid repayment.

There was vigorous follow up for recovery, but in futile. I joined the office as in-charge finance portfolio entailing recovery aspect as well. I remained in the town for a year (2009-2010). As part of my duty, inter alia I was supposed to make recovery efforts as per the extant guidelines for the purpose, and to do all such lawful  acts, deeds and things towards that end. I made sincere efforts of effecting recovery, with all the clients including this particular woman borrower of 2006.

Her account had already turned ‘non-performing’ in our books as per financial terminology. After my transfer from the town and after about seven-eight months this woman unleashed a series of complaints against me, including criminal ones. She alleged to have given the balance outstanding amount towards adjustment of her account, to me, on one fine morning. Incidentally just few days before my redeployment from the city to another place. Her first few complaints could not bring the desired result. She then got me arrested, so as to convince the authorities of my institution, of having being tricked, and to get absolved of repayment, forever. I remained in jail for a month, for this beautiful belief of her’s.

My seniors and colleagues got me released on bail, on a remarkable folly of error by her. In fact she stumbled upon her own creation of false evidence and got strictures from the hon’ble District and Session Judge. Instead of realizing her folly and making amends to her misdemeanor she gave the reins to her advocate husband to exploit the nuances of criminal law delivery system. Her husband in turn fully exploited the loop holes of law and stretched the proceedings of the trial for two long years, without even letting a single hearing on the alleged charges of accusation. In the process he resorted to extortion as well, in collusion with some disgruntled members of my institution.

I forgave the woman and all her associates on that fateful day itself, when I was pushed into the huge gates of the District Jail. I found that complex and those ‘six hundred odd hours’ of solitude as my period of penance, recuperation and self-realization from the drudgery of the so called civilized life, as the most rewarding one. I found a lovable heart amongst all the hardened criminals and the under-trials, many of whom were not even aware, why they have brought into that complex.

I believe that our borrower too was ignorant and was not capable of distinguishing between right and wrong, otherwise she would not have done what she did. I suffered extreme humiliation in silence after my release on bail and at the same time continued to render services to all stakeholders of my institution. Perhaps, in the hope if given the opportunity, it might generate a positive influence on her, being a woman and as a change agent of the society. I once even went to her residence along with my wife in condolence, of some tragedy in her relation. It is my genuine belief that hate has a very treacherous passage.

If you really want to hate, hate that hate attitude, hate the hate that anybody is different, down the skin all are same. In fact, God has given a different time frame to each one of us to realize this universal law, that is to ‘Love yourself, and  you will start loving all’, sooner it is, better for the mankind.  I visualize this vision in my son who has chosen the avenue of making the vision of many, much clearer and may be insightful.

God has allotted different time frame to each one, to realize his ‘self ’. It is rightly said ‘when there is time, wisdom does not come and when wisdom comes one is left with little time at its disposal’. It is precisely for this reason there are provisions in judicial process, to go for the ‘appeal’ and ‘review’ of the orders and judgments of the same court, or whether there has been any abuse of the process of the laid down procedure. I had to knock the doors of higher judiciary to check upon the style of functioning of its lower level.

It was a matter of hardly five minutes for the higher court to realize, that the investigation by the ‘state’, were all coloured to label the accused as offender.  In fact the summoning of the accused for the trial was also in total ‘abuse of the process of law’. To meet the ends of justice, it seized to itself, its original prerogative power to deal with the matter. But the damage to reputation was already done. I could not make out, whether the victim turned into a victor, or a victor was already there, mocking at the system. Forgiveness is the only way out for self discovery and a belief, that everyone is a victor, always .Just take a right stand.

So we come to the point from where we started. Who is the victim, what he is begging for, and from whom, is it the person or the system? There is GOD who is making way.

Can anyone say whether Ram was a victim or victor, Vibhishana was a victim or victor, Bhishma was a victim or victor, Karan was a victim or victor, Yudhister was a victim or victor, Siddarth (Gautam Budh) was a victim or victor, Gandhi was a victim or victor, and for that matter whether Mother Teresa was a victim of circumstances or a victor for humanity. All these personalities stood for a cause by forgiving their tormentors and laid a path for eternity.