" I closed my eyes..... And found my inner strength... I would have do it"

" All you people reading this....
I'd just like to mention one thing..
That this incident I'm writing about, isn't fictitious....
It really happened...
And, I feel it was worth writing about...
Now, I leave it to you to read and find out, if it was worth reading..."

Frustration was at it's peaks.....

Waiting was something I was terrible at.... And that day, everything seemed to test my patience...

I was now irritated...

I just needed one chance. One chance to prove myself. One chance, to show them, what I could do...

I wasn't there to just watch them play, shoot baskets, and boo at the opponent team." I was there to play... And to go and show them, that we were not going to give them the match on a silver platter. We might lose, yes, but NOT without a fight. We would try till the end... ".. so my thoughts ran....

The whistle was blown, and it said - " half-time". Our team had not even scored once, and pressure was increasing. We were down by 8 points, that meant 4 baskets. Now what? Would we win? Would we lose? No one knew anything.

I have no idea, why I was still not sent into the match yet. What was Sir waiting for? For the match to end?!? This was it. I stood up, and said, " Sir, May I now play.? I think Rutu is too tired to run anyways.. and they haven't even scored once! Whats happening?"

" Oho, as if you think, you're going to go and shoot, are you? " , he taunted. " Fine, just go, I'll send you in for 10 minutes. Let's see what you can do."

This was it. The BIG moment.

Blood was pounding in my ears....

I had to do this. I knew, my shooting was no good, but controlling was something no one could beat me at. " Play at your strengths..." , my Mother had once told me.

The whistle blew again.... and my heartbeats accelerated...

The crowd was cheering like crazy..... A few of my friends, who'd come to cheer for me, were also there. When they saw me enter, I heard my name amongst others.....

I was nervous.... excited... and a little scared at the same time. I didn't want to disappoint anyone.... I didn't know what was going to happen.. whether we would lose... or win. No one knew. We were already down by 8 points. It was going to be tough, and we stood at nil.

" Will I be able to do this? Will I manage shooting? Will luck favour me today? What if my control goes wrong?.." All these questions were going through my mind.. when I stepped onto the court....

It was our turn to start.... and all my team mates looked at me. One passed me the ball... as if to say... " Go Girl, Just do it! We need to win this."

I looked at them, and that silent conversation told me, that something had to be done. And a little fear left me....  BUT, 

When I caught the ball... and looked at it....

" I'll manage right?".. I thought..

And then, I closed my eyes.. And just remembered what my Mother had told me just before I left the house...

 "It's your first match today.... and look at the co-incidence, it's also your Birthday. I don't care what you do there... BUT, Just don't think about the consequences. Just focus on your goal. I want you to do your best. Just go For it. I know you'll do well. Just Believe In YOUR INNER strength...."

And, that was it. All fear vanished. And, nothing seemed impossible.

The minute I started dribbling, I knew I would do it....

I dodged one... two.. and three players..

AND then....

Shot.....

" AND IT"S A BASKET>>!!! Finally they've made 2 points..!!" was all everyone was screaming.

I'd done it!

I was overjoyed...

AND

One glance at Sir, said it all. He'd got his reply.

And after that, our team went on a complete winning spree. We managed to cover up, AND

In the end, we actually managed to win.

That moment..... that day... will always be one of the most unforgettable memory... for me...

Not because it was my Birthday or anything...

But, because, that day, I learn't, that there is something inside me, that's greater than any other obstacle out there.... And, it taught me to rely on my inner self....

Sometimes, we feel as though it'll never work... We'll lose.... and it all seems just impossible. We fear defeat.....

And, we let the fear in.

But, next time you feel so.... Just remember one thing.....

No matter what happens.... Just don't give up.

One can never predict what would happen, and who knows, what you feel is impossible in the beginning, becomes possible later? Everyone has the strength to face whatever we do...

We just need to find that INNER strength and confidence...

Like Paulo Cohelo, rightly says in  The Alchemist. '' All the answers to your questions are within you... You just need to find them..........''