joy of learning

Post the marathon I rested on my laurels. A few days later, there was this incredible feeling of loss- I felt a void due to the lack of a goal. Pushing my accomplishment out of my mind I looked ahead. All I saw was the long road ahead with no real aim. Next year’s marathon is too far and as the summer looms ahead of me, there is no other run planned. I could, of course continue running, but that somehow was not motivating enough to get me out of bed in this prolonged Bombay winter.

As the weather gets warmer, after I ran a half marathon for fun, I had the urge to learn something new….i want to learn to SWIM! The breast stroke that I had learnt as a child was enough to save my life, but now I need swimming as a cross trainer to improve my running……for better lung capacity- to run faster!

So here I was-one morning on the day of the spring equinox- bright and early- waiting at the club for the coach , who had also trained my little fish, Sanjana. And the session began……step by step; I was initiated into the technicalities. Each step was apparently simple. The trouble began when half an hour into the class, Sailesh told me to do them all together. To co-ordinate my breathing, with the rhythm of my legs, as well as smooth arm motion was not only daunting, but an impossible task! Invariably I would forget one or the other. The worst was when I forgot breathe and I went under. I came up sputtering much to the amusement of the seasoned aunty swimmer gilding past me!

The joy of learning a new thing is what really stimulates the mind. While swimming, I forgot everything around me and I was in the moment to grasp the action. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge as I tried again and again-

As kids we constantly learnt new things. That is why childhood was spent in happiness. Then as we got older the mundanity of repetition took over.

And now, as I learn, I am alive again!

So that is the key- one new thing a year!


“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” ~Confucius