A young boy and his father walked up to Nikhil and said “Can my son take a picture with your medal? He overslept and missed today’s ride”.
“Sure” Nikhil replied and placed the lanyard around the boys neck.
The father photographed his son and returned the medal. Nikhil offered the boy to keep it with him as a gesture but the boy refused, thanked him and the father-son duo smiled and walked away.
This compelling incident touched me a lot. It speaks volumes about sacrifice and sportsmanship spirit. Nikhil demonstrated leadership and maturity while the boys behaviour is an indicator of his high moral values.
Both valued the medal and respectfully treated it’s meritorious worth.
The boy was clear that he hadn’t earned it and there was no effort by him whatsoever to have it. Infact, he had failed to participate in the ride so he could not be the rightful recipient of the prize. His character was driven by principles of honesty.
Nikhil, felt it would be right to sacrifice the medal so that it encourages the boy to be an active participant in the future. He believed he could earn another one for himslef in the next event and hence, didn’t want to disappoint the young aspirant. His act would be motivational for the boy.
Either of two were willing to extend an emotional support and exchanged good vibes. A positive approach was evident in this transaction in which neither of them lost anything. On the contrary, both individuals gained respect and mutual admiration.
This way, the worth of the medal was raised even further in the minds. ‘Mind’ over matter. The thought of giving away a material object clashed with the idea of morality. When ethics takes centre-stage in our personality, it strengthens our thinking, our approach, our behavior. Our dealings with others become more enriching, more harmonious and complementary.
Ride to mpower stands for mental health and well-being. It deals with real issues through sports – by tapping the positive aspects of cycling. Sports is a great binder and it brings people together – at stadiums, in front of TV sets, romantically and globally in an authentic way.
Mental health benefits of cycling:
- It improves self-confidence
- Establishes faith and trust
- Eradicates negative emotions
- Releases good hormones
- Brings joy and happiness
This story projects life lessons in a sports community gathering. I was privileged and felt empowered after being a part of the Ride to Mpower cycling event held in Mumbai on 11th March, 2018.
My final takeaways:
- It’s okay to share from the little that we have.
- Leadership is about making sacrifices
- Giving is receiving in abundance
- Love brings joy and is the driving force of life.
- One should master the art of giving graciously
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2021 version of the Ride to Mpower event was cancelled. I hope the world order is reset to normal and I get another opportunity to be a part of the glorious event next year onwards.
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Author: Vijay Malhotra, Mumbai
