I wish this was a story with a motive, from the title, an indie sports motivational story!
But it’s not, and my teacher, well he whistled in English, mouthed rich words and richer meanings.
And his greatest lesson, it left me panting in the middle of a 400 meter dash, an athletic event with one odd participant, me!
For the life of me, I couldn’t run as a kid. So when the first kid crossed the line a whole lap ahead of me, I wanted to stopped running. Didn’t see a point as someone’s already won.
And that’s when his words echoed through the mics, he was on the diaz, holding the mic and cheering me to finish, he looked at me (in secret) and said “Alzhagagha Alzhagagha Alzhagagha Odikondikindranar” and it sparked a little something in me. I didn’t win, but I finished the race that day, and everyday since. He taught me to see things through, no matter the outcome.