A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash.
At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back. Every one of them.
One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said: "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.
Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why?
Because deep down we know this one thing. What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.
4 Replies
I simply do not agree with Gulshan.Perhaps what he has completely ignored is the human aspect of it.After all what is wrong in being guided by nobler sentiments! He has tried to glorify "competition" in our life which may be at best an economic model but there is the larger question of humanism. And what he calls "healthy competition" hardly remains healthy at the some stages later on.My views should not be misconstured as against competition what I am trying to emphasise is that we need compassion and competition both. In slowing down a winning prospect might have been sacrificed but a better human being was born.We should not be judging all our actions through the narrow prism of competition.
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anup sarak
@anupsarak
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Sunday, 22 November 2009 09:12
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Tuesday, 30 November -0001 00:00
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