A New Beginning

Night 10:20, just had dinner at a Burgerman stall and walked back home. Thanks to a very decent SUV driver who was courteous enough to splash a puddle on me, I had to wash my feet before opening the laptop, and thus, now the time is 10:39; 81 minutes to midnight. And at midnight, the earth would have completed one more rotation, one more day would have passed. And exactly one month would have elapsed... June 12th, 2013 - The first batch of GMCS 1 at Thiruvananthapuram got over. This is the 4th post in my story, and in the very first post I had mentioned that these 15 days were the climax of a story. I was wrong. These fifteen days were the beginning of a magnificent saga. GMCS 1 was the beginning of a generation that will change the world, an era that make its mark on history, a story that will be retold by every generation to come. What happened at GMCS? A New Beginning.

The very last competition at our course, a Quiz contest. We win it and we would be on top of the table, tied along with 3 other teams. And until the last round, "where the sun kisses the sea" was leading. Until the last round, where the Tour Guide ruined our dreams by screaming out answers from the crowd, and we had to settle for second place by a margin of 5 points. Just 5! And the next day, there was a tie breaker between 3 teams - the high flyers, the proverb guys and the mountain guys; and although Mr. GMCS got confused about his sex, the mountaineers ended up on top. We all cheered, although The Editor might have been the only one who cheered with full spirit, there was no disappointment . For it was battle well fought. We gave it everything for each competition. Not a single game was played half-heartedly and until the last day the fight was on. 8 giants had collided against each other, and that created the real blast at GMCS. And on the last day I learnt 2 important lessons:-
1. Put up your best fight- and nobody cares where you end up. Can't explain this one. The sweetness of failure, that is something you have to feel... and enjoy.

2. Cheer for the victory of others, just as you care for your own. Now this one might sound a little Biblical (Love thy neighbour as thyself), and I could never heed this advice unless I had seen it with my very own eyes. The Zeal with which The Editor screamed her puny lungs out for every other team out there, cheered for them with all her heart, no terms and conditions applicable - that was the greatest sight I had seen, the best advice I got! 

You are right, there was a lot of action in there. The rivalry, the team spirit, getting geared up every morning and switching into Action Mode. That was fun to watch. And it is an amazing story to tell. But it doesn't have the magic. It doesn't have the pixie dust that will keep the story alive - I mean, most of my GMCS classmates who read this blog won't even remember all the competitions, and it's just been one month down the line. The magic of the story, the subtle flick of the wand - that happened when 48 of us stood up for the great man who walked left the podium. The wizardry happened when a great soul opened his gift box and said, "Thanks!" The potion was complete when we danced like never before at 6pm.

The culturals were over, the award ceremony was done with, certificates were distributed and the dignitaries had left the dias. 48 of us were left with each other. Treasure's eyes turned red, she started crying. There was a lot of hugging and shaking of hands. We exchanged phone numbers, promised to keep in touch and hesitantly, hoping that time would freeze forever, not wanting to leave, ever; we walked towards the door. Whether by accident, or on purpose, one of us turned on the music - OPPA GANGNAM STYLE!

This is not an abrupt end. I feel this is the most fascinating beginning! True, I struggle for words as I speak with a heavy heart, filled with memories of our great times. But that is not the reason I stop. I stop with hopes and dreams, of the great days that are to follow. For this is not a story about memories and nostalgia, it is about the bright new morning that lay ahead. Filled with action... and lots and lots and lots of...

Love