WHEN IT IS DUSK IN ONE PLACE, IT IS A DAWN SOMEWHERE
Pic.: Alwyn Mathias
“In life, when it is dusk in one place, it is a dawn
somewhere!” Last night, I heard Amitabh Bachchan bringing the curtain down on
2014-season of KBC with these words… The charismatic host was referring,
obviously, to scores of ordinary people whose lives had been changed forever,
and for good, because of KBC…
I couldn't agree more with what Amitabh said
while bidding good-bye to his viewers…
I watch T.V. very, very less. I am drawn to
KBC only because I admire Amitabh immensely… The game show, invariably, leaves
me a lot inspired!
So, last night, when the curtain was falling
on the eighth-season of KBC, and Amitabh used those worlds – ‘In life, when it is dusk one place, it is a dawn somewhere’ – I thought about me… I hadn't won any money, nor
had the privilege of being on the Hot Seat… I was not even there, ever, in the audience…
Still, I felt those words did apply to me and millions of his viewers as well…
Right there, on yesterday’s last show, there
was young Ali Zafar. Now, I did not know much about this man, who was there,
along with other main actors, to promote their film, ‘Kill Dil’. In yesterday’s
episode, I learnt what an amazing multi-talented man Ali Zafar was!
Born and brought up in Pakistan, right since
he was a little kid, Ali drew, danced, sang, played guitar, did modeling and
acted… And, above all, he studied well and topped in tenth-standard board-exams!
Now, there are many kids and many young-guys
like Ali Zafar in this world who are blessed with multiple talents. In fact, if
we look at ourselves, each one of us will be surprised to know how multi-talented we
are! Believe me, each one of us has been blessed with two, three and even more
number of talents…
As a little kid, drawing, sketching and
painting came very naturally to me. I remember, how many students and teachers would
give me work – to draw, sketch and paint for them. And, as I became a teenager,
somewhere I lost the self-confidence… maybe my self-pity did not allow me to
take enough responsibility to hone my God-given talent further… As I went about
my college days, I hardly drew, sketched and painted… Soon, it was all gone.
Dead!
That’s just one example… I can authentically
give as I could see that happen in my case… For someone, it could be singing or
dancing, for someone else it could be acting, playing, public-speaking or
writing… And, yes, for many of us, it could be our academics!
If a talent has to become a shining lamp, it has to be
honed well… We should believe in that talent, nurture it well… with loads of patience,
practice and passion. Above all, we should find tremendous joy and fulfillment in
pursuing it… Else, yes, else it dies…
As my drawing talent did!
As the last show was in full swing, Ali
Zafar, from his seat near the audience, was seen quietly drawing a sketch of
his child-hood idol, Amitabh Bachchan. Just before the curtain fell, when the
sketch was handed over to the mega-star, it left everyone, including Bachchan,
speechless… So brilliant it was!
I had tears in my eyes…
As a little boy I drew a lot like that… I
missed it badly!
But then, I was never ever good in writing throughout my
school and college days!
And now?
Do I hone my writing skills – with loads of
practice, patience and passion?
I do… Yes, I do…
“In life, when it is dusk in one place, it
is a dawn somewhere!”
To me, it was a peaceful dawn!
GERLA D’CUNHA
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