Chapter 6

Faith : Your biggest strength

As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit.

Emmanuel Teney

 “We are so sorry for Piu” consoled one of the parents from the group.

“Ma'am I really do not understand what went into Piu.” reasoned Sabu sir, Piu’s coach “if Ria could come at third position Piu could have surely overtaken her”

“Piu skated so well with perfect confidence. She did not look back even once” said Rita another parent and Shruti’s great friend told grimacing “I thought she’d win but it was unfortunate”

Shruti simply smiled at their comments because deep in her hear she was very happy and proud of her little darling who stood at the start line, ran when the clap of wooden boards hitting each other was heard and finished the two laps of racing.

Losing and winning did not matter to her at all. Her smart baby finished her race with a smile on her face while her own heart beats were heard even to Govind who stood along with her; that was more then enough, a victory by Piu in her own sense

Shruti had hidden behind the pillar leaving Piu alone, her coach standing besides Piu as Shruti pulled Govind with her worried that Piu would run into them scared of facing the competition but Piu was amazing as she faced the challenge making her mom proud and her father wondering why she couldn't make it.

His reasoning being all the parents escorted their kids at the start line for their moral support while both of Piu’s parents were hiding behind the pillar chickening out. So they decided that the day after in another race both Shruti and Govind would stand at the start line for Piu’s support and even cheer her during the race.

Fortunately Piu’s performance improved in the next two races.

Though she did not secure any of the winning top three positions but she ended up finishing the race in fourth position which was a major improvement from being in seventh in the first race.

Though they left the town empty handed without any achievements but the biggest achievement was Piu finished her last race eve when she fell twice during the event.

The road was ueven and few pebbles were scattered o the surface.

While Piu was warming up before the race, she fell down, bruising her knee ad it started bleeding. Having no time as the girls under 4 were already called for for the starting line, coach Irfa was smart enough to apply a spray at the wound. Though it burnt initially but the bleeding stopped immediately.

While Shruti went agape and shocked seeing the thick lie ofblood on her daughters knee which had dried after the spray was applied but she felt miserable to send her for the race. She wanted to pull her out of the race and hug her nd secure her in the warmth of her arms but Govind had a different perspective. He believed Piu needs to taught not to give up in tougher circumstances. He was fine even if Piu secured last position but he wanted her to learn a lesson of never quitting and facing the challenges on a face front so after some cooing and doting by Govind who kept his steady strong hands on Piu’s shoulders pep talking about how brave and strog she is and this was the only task that she’d have to do in the day and rest of the day she had to herself, Piu stood ready to face the challenge on road race.

Shruti couldn’t hold the pride in her eyes when Piu finished fourth. She ran to Piu who had a frown face because she’d fallen again in the midrace at the turing which was away from visual eyes of Shruti.

A pat from Coach Irfan who was full of appreciative blabbering for Piu made Piu smile as she forgot all he pain and hugged her mom feeling euphoric about her own achievement.

Govind who’d put a strong façade before the race pushed everybody aside giving medical aid to Piu which was must for the moment.

Shruti fell once again for the man whom she’d never ever dreamt about having a low self esteem whom she claims to be her partner and love for life.

It was only his faith in Piu that Piu managed to finish the race gracefully.

And yes as one of the senior coaches mentioned to them “bringing Piu here itself was a big success and she DOES have a great future in the game.” was one of the biggest possessions they’d acquired in the tour.

Govind wanted to have some family time so he opted to drive alone without the group who were waiting behind till the prize distribution ceremony.

The family were laughing singing and enjoying the family bonding quality time while they were driving back when they were interrupted by a phone call.

Sighing Shruti picked up the call which was from Anju mother of the runner up of the tournament Simi winner of silver medal, Ria agai from the group was second runner up secring a silver medal for her performance and from their group itself wherein the gold medalist was a girl from another state.

“What!!!!” Shruti yelled on the phone making Govind take his car to the left hand side of the road and giving it a stop listening to the conversation his wife was having with the person at the other end.

The shrill of her voice made him wonder if everything was alright.

“No!!! I can't believe it” Shruti shouted in excitement

After a few more exchange of words Shruti finished the call plastering a huge ear to ear smile on her face. She couldn't contain her happiness as she disclosed that Piu had been fortunate enough to earn two bronze medals in the event.

Govind was all ears, excitement and curiosity taking better of him as he heard the girl who came first and a gold medal winner in under 4 girls category had forged on her age.

Piu, Simi and Ria who were 98 born and were last year in under 4 age category. The three of them were in Grade I wherein Daisy the gold medalist was in grade III.

She played a wrong age group either by mistake or purposely which was no longer a matter to be considered for the matter of biggest importance is Piu who needs to be given a huge bunny hug for her excellence in National level and winning a medal, no two medals in her first ever participation.

The ride home turned out to be a shorter than it actually was for the proud parents were too eager to announce their family and friends, teachers and schools principal that Piu had been a winner of the National level competition. She won two medals.

The faith that Govind showed on Piu, the hardwork put in by Piu and her mother were finally answered back.

“Group picture” shrieked Hema excitedly as they all stood together after the project won first prize among all the eighth grade students.

They all stood together each of them first straightening their pleated red and blue check skirts rubbing their hands on their crushed white tops and quickly worked their combs on their hair.

Shruti who was not welcomed in the group when she was forced by a teacher into this group where no one wanted Shruti.

All the four groups of her class specially made for the project discarded and rejected Shruti as if she was a plaque.

If it wasn't for her class teacher who forced Hema to take her in that group, Shruti would have ended up like always doing her work alone.

Now when the group is a winner, Shruti stands nowhere amongst the group of popular girls and boys and therefore hides behind the huge plaster of Paris model that she’d made herself burning the candles at night so that she is not visible in the picture and therefore nobody gets a chance to mock at her after the hard copy of the picture is distributed amongst her group.

“Here here behind the mountain of clay” mocked one of the guys from the group at Shruti’s hidden pic.

“Thank god! Her face is hidden and me standing besides her, my pic is not ruined. Ain't I looking hot as usual” commented another popular girl from her school.

“Right choice of place while getting the picture clicked” laughed another girl from the school.

The achievement by Piu has erased her negative memories by the positive ones planted by her love, her husband Govind when Piu stands tall smiling her angelic cute smile from the most cute pink lips standing in the office of the leading newspaper for the sports column to be published tomorrow.

“Can Shruti ever feel prouder than anything in her life?”

 A/n:

True story!!!!

Girl with gold medal actually forged her age. She cried so much when medals were returned to the organizers. Everybody felt sorry for her.

Piuu actually fell twice during the last event and still managed to secure third position. Her mom would remember this all her life:)

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