Mixed Bags Of Learning

Lately, I have been engaged with many activities. Perhaps, I am learning to stitch lots of different skills altogether –basketball, bicycling, reading, gardening, planting, cleaning, washing and even sleeping. 

 

However, above all these activities, let me share my few weeks of baby steps in basketball. While one time, I had twisted my thumb and another time I had jammed my index finger. It was horribly painful but learning was fun. 

 

It was only in my high school days that I came across this sport. Till then I have just participated in a few inter-class competitions and played a few other games, all "hum-drum". I never thought basketball needed such time and space to learn. As I grew up with the mindset that "academic" is the only means of survival. And never thought that basketball would be this attractive and fun to play and be around with the company of many friends.

 

I always grew up loving this sport. However, I have never got a chance to train myself. I never went deeper to learn the art of this sport. I realized the beauty of this sport during my late high school days, when one of my best friends got many girlfriends and admirers after the inter-class tournament. Throughout my career, I have seen the power of these games, and unite people like no other thing. There is no bar for country, region, race, gender, community, rich and poor. 

I feel sad thinking about my past school days. There wasn't anyone who encouraged and told us the importance of games and sports in life. I am learning all the way from very basic and it's something very odd and tiring at this age. It is not easy to pick up the skills required for the game. Three weeks down, and I have engaged myself seriously into this sport. Slowly I am learning to adjust myself and learning to enjoy the beauty of this sport. Thanks to the online tutorials "Youtube" for a great learning platform and inspiration. There is nothing impossible today. After going through serious practice and online tutorials, I am feeling better, confident and fit. So far I could loosen my belly size and I am expecting this trend to go -beyond. Initially, it was difficult and odd to learn very strange moves but things are improving everyday. However, despite many odds, I have learnt to live my life in a meaningful way. 

 

I practice twice in a day –1 hour each in the early morning and evening.  

 

So far I have learnt some basics in ball dribbling/handling, crossovers, jab, layups, ball balance/controlling and few faking moves. Furthermore, I have also learnt to organize good games, develop hand/finger power and study the opponents. I am still a beginner. 

 

I wish our curriculum had some chance to include a curriculum that focuses on wholesome development. 

I wish more elite (rich) could come up with a sporting academy like most of our private schools, so that our youth get more opportunities to learn and be themselves.  

I wish our curriculum would be like ZEBRA and not like CROW. Games and sports, entrepreneurship, communication skills, tech savvy, cooking, saloon and self-management are overly becoming more attractive jobs in the world today over 9-to-5 jobs. We must ignite the curiosity in learning in our young kids right from the nursery age and not when they attain 17 years or so. 

 

We don't just want our kids to fill up the gap and present themself. We need mixed bags of learning that will secure our nation. This is how we make our nation great. 

 

Three weeks of running after the ball, often twisting and turning the fingers has so far produced little that I can be proud of myself.