ank13blog-blog

[ank13blog-blog]

Yes, I am married

I was in 4th standard. My relatives were visiting my place. All of a sudden, one of my younger cousins was spotted. He was riding the bicycle of Tai(My elder sister). Though it was an amateur ride, everybody was surprised over his ability to ride a bicycle in such a young age. All the viewers started adding their thought over this scene. And all at a sudden, someone prompted, “Look at Ankush. He has reached the third standard yet he can not ride a bicycle.”. It was an embarrassing moment for an 8-year-old child. But now memories of that sunny day just lit smile on my cheeks as now all of my younger cousins have moved on to bikes, few to cars, and I am not able to leave bicycle. Yes, I am a regular, not professional cycle rider.

And when I say I am married it refers to my partner whom I approach more often after any sudden emotion change.

Back in the school times, the riding bicycle was just a routine while going to school and roaming around the city. I never realized that it was becoming an integral part of me. After 10th, being JEE aspirant life took a different direction. The tenure began when competition, goals, career, etc. words used to hit the mind more often.

In the 3 years span of day-night study and separation from self-aged people made me a typical JEE aspirant who was competing hard to achieve WHAT but working on HOW and had no idea of WHY. The journey ended up reaching a state college.

As I had no clue of WHY, started to search for another WHAT in the green campus of WCE, Sangli. On some random day after 3 long years, I had a small meeting with my love. I got a bicycle from a friend. That day I drive the cycle for quite a long and realized that I must have one. I somehow managed to save 800 bucks for a second-hand cycle. The day I bought it, I drive it for almost 6 hours continuously.

That day, actually changed my perspective drastically. Before that ride, I used to think that one must struggle continuously to achieve a goal. For me life without any race was meaningless. I don't refer race as any rat race but yes I had a strong belief that if you are not striving for anything then your mind will get rusted.

But that ride from my room to somewhere was one of the most blissful experiences.

It made me realize very simple concepts, taught to most of us during primary schools. I took my bicycle to cities bypass. Now I had two ways. I looked at one and found it goes to a market area of the city while other was an unending highway. I without having any deep analysis in my mind I turned the handle towards the highway. Long road and heavy vehicles. After a couple of minutes, I was riding my cycle for the first time from any highway. Yes, there were a few two-wheelers too running on the road but of course, they had an engine tied with them.  All of a sudden, I found an auto rickshaw passing from my side. Looking at its average speed my mind triggered and commanded “Three Two One n GO“. I tried to overtake the rickshaw. It was 3-4 minutes race and rickshaw was out my reach now. I was a bit tired but was happy with the race. Sooner I realized few more auto rickshaws were overtaking me. I looked at them smiling and started looking around. I realized that all the vehicles on the road were overtaking me. Instead of quarreling with tools, this workman decided to analyze the reason for losing these races. I found that I was losing it because it was me at first place to start the race. Why did I start the race? Was there any need for the race? Would the win have made my day? and many more questions. I realized it then that my ultimate aim was riding cycle. I was really enjoying it. As my complete journey cannot be monotonous, hence I was enjoying it by playing games. Games are meant to be played and enjoyed. They are just to make your journey more interesting. Though it is race, enjoying the moment or chase or struggle is very important. It is important because you started the race to make the journey interesting. Your winning or losing must never affect your ride. And in the world full of patterns, I matched this story to my life's journey.

Now, still, I race, I play with cycle with life.