Introspection

After the hangover and after, as I recall the song, the ball is over, I remembered some lyrics that are apt for my life and the way I've lived it and would continue to live it.

I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows
If I fail, if I succeed
At least I live as I believe
No matter what they take from me
They can't take away my dignity
Because the greatest love of all
Is happening to me
I found the greatest love of all
Inside of me
______________________________________________
Regrets I've had a few
But then again too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption

I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

Yes there were times I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out, I faced it all
And I stood tall and did it my way

I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've had my fill, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing

To think I did all that
And may I say not in a shy way
Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way

For what is a man what has he got
If not himself then he has not
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way

A birthday surprise

When I arrived at the start venue for our long run at Aarey in my car, little did I know that some of my runner pals had a surprise in store for me. I felt sheepish considering that I actually drove there so that I could carry the "Anjir" and "Chocolate Barfi" box/es. We were a group of about 20 runners and it felt especially good to run since it rained hard in the later part of the run. I finished an exhausting 21K with the same goddamn hypoglycemia surfacing. I gotta do something about it.

The surprise was that my good friend Raj went out of his way to bring a huge (eggless) cake with candles that wouldn't blow out:-) Oh it was really touching to have them sing "Happy Birthday" and talk about birthday bumps in the wet sludge. There was a lot of laughter and banter on races, training and running in general. There was this magnificent card made by Madhu, all of 2ft x 1ft and it was a veritable catalogue of my running life. She must have spent hours putting it together. As my runner friend Venkat said, "What more can one desire more that the love and affection showered by friends such as these". It was the best birthday I've had in a long time.

The evening was spent at the newly renovated "Sai Palace" with its gourmet cuisine and prices to match. I had Allen' family and Rajni join us. The Old Monk, mixed barbeque platters, biryanis, lasooni palak, rotis and dal maharani was enough to floor me when I plonked on the bed that night. I wondered how I would join Srinivas and Raj for a run the next morning. Well, I dragged myself out of bed and took a while to get my breath back. I then went out and reeled a 15K. Dan, the force is still with you and you've proved your point on your birthday - now just rest up ok?