Mumbai Marathon - a fitting reply!!

So this was my second time at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon; no I did not do the 'half' or the 'full'. It was the uncomplicated, feel good, make a difference segment called 'The Dream Run'. Not that there's anything less fun about it, but its just not something serious runners will ever take up:) Coz you just can't 'run' at the Dream Run!!Its only 34000+ citizens, running enthusiastically across the start line (most of the women gawking at the dimpled, raybanned John Abraham, yours truly included!) only to slow down to jogging 500 ms later, walking after another 1 km and strolling during the last 1.5. Anyway you look at it, you would have been extremely lucky yesterday if you had managed to run the entire 6 km stretch with road blocks like me and many others who were only there to savour the experience!
Savour it I did though! Every moment. I had the IPod synced to perfection, starting with the 'Ha Reham Khuda' from the 'Aamir' soundtrack and ending on 'Sweethome Alabama', I was quite geared up for a nice stroll and great pictures! So much so that I actually stopped to listen to the really cool band at the Oberoi turn on the way back to the finish (the bunch of guys with the cool long hair, if you're reading this, you guys rock!! You should totally play more Gigs around town!)
So thats what my Mumbai marathon experience was about;
Great photos,
very interesting slogans,
families and little kids on the sidewalks who were cheering us (Your presence makes it special every time! Too bad the media doesn't photograph you enough!),
the cool band and many others,
my own gang of friends that I went with (We went to eat at Shiv Sagar near Eros later, had a ball! Mumbai Marathon Sunday should always end at brunch with friends, what say you?)
our charity Nanhi Kali (power to every little princess, visit www.nanhikali.com)

Above all else though, I am going to say that Mumbai Marathon was as always about 'Mumbai' itself! I know, all of us who were there yesterday and especially those of us that are showing off blogging about it would have said the same thing! But it doesn't make it any less true!
And this time it was more special than ever, Barely 45 odd days after the fateful Wednesday night and here we were 34000 and more at Nariman point pledging our support! Thats Mumbai for you. We U-turned at the Trident, looked up at the building for a bit, felt forlorn, lost, enraged... and then kept walking, kept the spirit on and said to ourselves 'This can't stop us!' My friend asked me last Friday 'What if something happens on Sunday? Isn't this a security nightmare?' and all I said was 'Has it stopped any of us from coming to work, taking the train, buying groceries, hanging out at cafes? Why will it stop us from doing the Dream Run?' It is after all about Dreams right? And we ought to dream of peace, pray for hope, demand security and act with compassion and responsibility!' I was acting out with this message and I strongly believe most of Mumbai was too!
It was indeed an honest and fitting response to those out there that want to prove a point by scaring us.
We won't stop living! The sentiment brewing not only among those who participated, but all those who went about business as usual also-The street kids collecting garbage from the road, shopkeepers and restaurantiers who kept it going, the policemen who were doubly vigilant yesterday so the event could go on smoothly.
A great and hopeful day is how I would summarise it! Everyone out there for good causes, having fun. It really felt good to be there! Felt Right!

'The Comfort Zone'

Is it so astronomically important to step out of your safe zone everytime you want to make a point?
It's an instant attention getter for sure. Take that movie '27 Dresses' for instance. Saw it on the weekend at Mumbai. Cute romantic picture. Katherine Heigl finally coming of age as a leading lady (would love to see more of her if she keeps up these fine performances!) . And James Marsden sure was a pleasant surprise too. Played the no nonsense NYC journalist almost to perfection. A younger cast in a big studio movie sure did rise to the ocassion. Thoroughly enjoyable fare.
The movie talks among other things, about just how much you might have in store if you just gave the world a chance. The world outside the box... your box. The one you've taken years to build for yourself. The one you're incredibly happy in. And sure does get Plain Jane (Heigl) a chance at not only finally expressing herself but also a chance at a fuller life.

On a good day , people call this box 'their own space' 'own identity'. On bad days however, this cool 'own space' thing becomes 'walls that you've created around you so people can't get through'.
Either way, it is really a zone that we create for ourselves and only we can step out of when its time.
So what time is the right time? Or is it a question of timing at all? I can tell you its one risky decision. Take it from a person who quit a job after 3 days of trying it out. I took the road most travelled with my friends, applied for a job and got in after the interview. But realized very quickly that this wasn't it. It didn't feel right at all. Met everyone at work and made great friends. But the job was so not something I wanted to do. And that was what I was gonna spend 12 hours of the day doing. That perspective hit me like a lightbulb. A little later than it should have. But no regrets. I moved on to better and richer experiences.
This is not to say that I haven't made safe decisions ever in life. In fact most of the direction I have taken so far in life has been one with enough security and clarity. Right from turning down dates with potentially great guys or job offers paying peanuts but promising the ride of a lifetime, yes... mistakes have been made. But experiences I have accepted and learnt from. Of course never really made the same catastrophic errors of judgement again. Life in the twenties therefore, has been better for me.
I wonder where this confidence comes from sometimes. Maybe its experience. But my feeling is that its the strife to be different and unique or at least show your different and unique side as much as possible. And never be afraid of it. Coz thats the only way to live and be heard.
That does not in anyway mean flouting rules or dismissing advice or looking north when everyone else is due south. It only means trying to discover what you have to offer and what will really make you wake up in the morning and look forward to the rest of the day.

A great job? Community service? Dream relationship? You know what will make you happy better than anyone else. Getting it however is gonna take some 'doing'. And some guts. Take the risk.
Whats the worst that could happen? Things may not go as planned that day.
There's still always tomorrow.