Moments of Reflection

Spiritual guru and life coach Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Such a cliché, but so true if you actually live this advice.

The past few months have been an emotional roller coaster for me.  As I entered my 4th year in India my mind started working on overdrive which is not always a good thing . I experienced many distracted days and sleepless nights riddled in thoughts about money, materials and power. These poisonous ponderings sprouted from on overwhelming feeling of self-pity as I spent much of the Delhi winter in the massive homes of my American diplomat friends hearing about their American dollar salaries and multiple trips back to the US to visit family.  It was then that I became so caught up in what I don’t have that I forgot to truly appreciate and show gratitude for the extraordinary things I do have. 

Fortunately, existence doesn’t allow me to whittle away in self-pity for too long. It always creates a moment which serves as a wake up call or, more explicitly, a kick in the ass to remind me that’s its time to re-connect with reality.  This recent one came from the most unlikeliest of scenarios.

I received a call from a colleague at FICCI who requested that I speak to a group of American Masters students who will be visiting the AIFF Football House.  I immediately said “No” to the request as I was in the middle of a few projects and couldn’t spare the day out of the office.  Then moments after saying, “No,” something inside of me said that I must do it, that I can’t turn this request down. So I quickly changed my answer and agreed to be at the Federation House the next day to address the group of  students from St. Josephs University in Philadelphia.

While I stood standing in front of these 27 jet-lagged but curiously engaged strangers in the AIFF press conference room, I started laughing. It occurred to me that in 2006 I also arrived to this same place, jet-lagged, curiously engaged and extremely nervous for a meeting with the then AIFF General Secretary less than 12 hours after arriving to India for the first time in my adult life.


Picture I took of the AIFF press conference room in 2008
Now here I am 8 years later, considered somewhat of a “knowledge leader” for the industry, able to smoothly navigate my way through the Federation house and serve as an authority figure for other visiting Americans looking to learn more about this complex country.  

These are the moments when I just stop, smile and thank God for constantly filling my life with signs that love and growth are my true purpose for living and that money is only there to serve a specific function.
Same room now with 27 American grad students and me sharing about Indian football industry and life in India

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