Rudrank's Dispatch: Sports and Lessons

I had planned to skip this week's dispatch, having already sent out a post as a newsletter. If you are here for something related to iOS development, please wait for the next week! I really appreciate that!

I have got some interesting thoughts bouncing around in my head, sparked by my interest in football. Or soccer. Whatever you call it in your part of the world. ;)

Not like me on a field with 21 other players. My pitch is the terrace of my building. I have been trying to burn more calories, and running feels like I am running away from my problems. But dribbling? I am still running, but now I have a companion to run with.

This whole terrace football thing has got me remembering my childhood days. When I was about 10, I was not exactly fat, but fit would have been a stretch, too. So, naturally, I got relegated to defender or goalkeeper. Nor was I particularly good at either position.

I did try being a striker once. But by the time I made it to the opponent's goal, I was already so out of breath.

Fast forward to when I was 15. I distinctly remember this one time when an uncle asked me what I did in my free time. Proudly, I told him I played football with my friends.

His response? "Why do you need to play football? You are a football yourself." Uproarious laughter from him and his friend.

I tried to laugh that off at the moment. But I do remember crying back home.

Comments like that leave a mark.

A strong mark.

A tiny scar that never quite fades, no matter how much you try to forget it.

After that, I pretty much gave up on football. I was not improving, and my impatient, entitled teenage self wanted instant results.

So here I am now, in my adult life, back to fulfil all those childhood and teenage dreams. My current goal is more about having fun while burning calories.

While I was out there on the terrace, dribbling and panting to a football playlist on Apple Music, I learned some life lessons.

There are these poles on my terrace. My self-imposed challenge was to dribble in a crisscross pattern between them until I was utterly exhausted. But as I was doing this, I realized something.

Sometimes, the ball was right in front of me, totally under my control. I could steer it however I wanted. But other times, it would roll far away, and even though I desperately wanted to catch it, it was clear that if I tried, I would end up crashing into a pole and hurting myself.

That metaphorically hit me. Life's like that, too.

Sometimes, everything is in our control, and we can direct things the way we want.

But there are also moments when, no matter how much we want something, the smart thing to do is to let it go.

No matter how much we want something. Let it go.

Chasing after that thing we think we want will only end up hurting us in the long run. Knowing when to persist and when to step back. When to dribble around and when to let the ball roll away to save yourself from hurt.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you had any similar realizations lately? I am always eager to hear your perspectives!